Two Broken Minds
by TeamAlphaQ
Summary: (Previously A Killer's Love) Jeff tries to kill the wrong person and ends fighting a formidable foe that he might just fall for. Jeff x Jane. Rated T for fluent swearing.
1. The Wrong Person

There she was again. From the moment I had seen her, I had intuitively known there was something different about her. For one thing, I couldn't bring myself to kill her immediately like I would anyone else. For another, she seemed to have a true sense of purpose about her. Yes, it might seem like a moronic reason not to kill a girl, but it intrigued me somehow. My eyes followed her as she walked over to the bus stop and sat down to wait. Waves of shimmering, jet-black hair fell gently around her slim shoulders, caught the late afternoon light, and reflected it back to the heavens. She turned her head and her beautiful porcelain skin captured a few of the dying rays of sun in such a way that she appeared to be glowing from the inside out. Her perfect black lips pursed, almost as if she had felt my eyes upon her. Dark eyes flickered around the slowly moving scene of people and small animals that scurry underfoot, almost like she was looking for something or someone. I felt an actual smile curling around my permanently smiling features as the snap second decision pulled my mind into its steel grip. I was going to follow this girl at last. A week and a half of watching her was over; I was going to kill her.

As the bus pulled up to the curb I rose with her. She didn't see me climb onto the bus after her but then, why should she? To her, I was no more than another face in an endless stream of them. Luckily for her it would also be the last face she saw. I purposely sat myself behind her and then leaned back in my seat, fingering the hilt of my knife that was hidden in the off-white hoodie I always wore. She was wearing a black hoodie, similar to mine, that had clearly seen much use. She kept twisting one of the dangling strings between thumb and forefinger like it was a nervous tic, although I highly doubted this girl was afraid of much. How I would love to see that face of hers twist into a mask of terror as I stood above her, knife poised to complete its task of taking her life. I could practically smell the blood that would stain my clothes.

Allowing my mind to wander, I realized that after tonight I would be expected to return _home_. No more than a place to rest my head in my way of thinking. Years too numerous to count and too unchanging to notice polluted the very definition of the word. And yet, after mindlessly killing the girl before me to in part indulge my craving for murder but also to alleviate the oppressive boredom that encased my mind, I would be forced to return to my 'home'. _The only thing that could possibly make it better,_ I reasoned, _would be for something to happen that would throw me into a near constant state of excitement._

Perhaps I was being unfair. The rest of my 'family' could be interesting if they chose to be and I _did_ miss them. I shouldn't complain so much.

As the vehicle slowed to a stop once more the girl rose and, with smooth, silent movements, exited the bus. I had more of an amble in my step as I crossed to the open doors yet, like her, my footfalls were completely silent. I gave the bus driver a smile that hinted at insanity and gleefully watched the shivers wrack his spine. Then I was on the pavement once again and the bus was gone. All it left was a faint, sulfuric odor and the girl that I was following. She was oblivious to her watcher as she walked quickly along the sidewalk. I had always prided myself in being a passable pavement artist when I needed to be, but my performance that day was perfect. Hurrying past her as if I had places to be, I was stopped at a light that of course halted her progress as well. I casually tapped my leg as if I was waiting impatiently to go. She spared me but a glance that I ignored in a calculated manner she failed to catch. The light changed. My long strides carried me past her easily and I kept this pace, as if oblivious to her very existence. At the next stop sign I moved to turn and managed to keep her in my peripheral vision. She kept walking forward past the houses, making no indication that one of them belonged to her. I crossed the road, taking the time to give the driver of one of the waiting cars a minor heart attack with one of my infamous bone-chilling smiles. Then I waited for a second or two before I could cross the street that would take me in the same direction as the girl. She walked swiftly now, as though she was just becoming aware of the heat of my watchful gaze and dogged pursuit. Ducking under the roof of one of the porches that looked exactly like all the ones around it, she finally vanished into a house.

I waited for ten seconds before swiftly moving away from the flat she had disappeared into. I crossed the streets that would take me the long way around to the back of her house. I lifted the latch of the gate that belonged to the person living behind her, breaking into a sprint that took me across this stranger's yard and then vaulted the fence surrounding the girl's house. I decreased my pace so that by the time I reached the house itself I was at an unheard crawl. A glorious plan began forming itself in my mind as I searched with practiced precision for the girl's bedroom window. I swarmed up a tree that was conveniently placed next to said window and watched from my higher vantage point as the girl threw her hoodie on her bed and started messing with something. Her back was frustratingly turned to me and I would have ground my teeth, but this girl was failing to actually try my nonexistent patience. She turned back to the window and I almost fell. She was… beautiful. Her face was a bleached and scarred white that matched mine. She even had long, thin scars that ran from the corners of her mouth to her high cheekbones. Something in me that I had thought was long dead stirred and jumped a bit. Just watching her move around her room made my plan unravel around me, but I couldn't care less. As the sun finally set past the point where it granted light to the sky and a new moon took its place above, the girl vanished for a minute or two and returned dressed in a knee-length black shift. She crawled into her bed and, after turning out the lamp by it, closed her eyes and soon was asleep.

I sprang to life, lithe in my actions as I slipped silently down the tree and through her window, all in one movement. She didn't even so much as twitch as I crossed the room, stood at the side of her bed and hovered over her like a smiling angel of death. I slowly liberated my knife from its hiding place and touched it to the corner of my elongated mouth. It was an odd habit I had possessed from time and memorial but I had no intention of breaking it now. Tenderly reopening the scars of my smile, I tossed my knife into the air, caught it blade down and held it over the sleeping girl. I waited presently, poised to strike once she had awakened. The breath that stirred the few strands of hair poking free from her loose braid hitched at last and I knew, as only someone who had done this many times before could, she was on the edge of wakefulness. She slowly lifted long, dark lashes from her white cheeks and looked up at me. My eyes took on a manic, leering glint as I said with a hiss, "Shhh. Go to sleep."

Her muscles tensed suddenly and I found a wickedly sharp knife pressed against my neck. I leapt back and cackled in excitement, all clouds of boredom cleared from my mind. "Now now, I thought I told you to _go. To. Sleep._ " I accented each word with a jab from my knife. She parried my thrusts with her own knife, eyes crazed. The rush of adrenaline propelled me forward into her faster than she expected. I pinned the arm that clutched the knife at the wrist and slammed the palm of my other hand into the bit of wall just above her shoulder. I stared into her eyes with an excited joy. She kneed me in the stomach and quickly moved to put the corner of the room at her back, acting literally like a cornered animal. A laugh escaped my lipless mouth and, intrigued, I asked, "What is your name? I feel like you should have a better name than just 'girl'."

Her jaw dropped a bit and a look of anger and disbelief crossed her black gaze. "You don't remember me, Jeff? When did your screws get knocked loose, before or after the fucking fire?" Her voice was like listening to what burning embers would sound like if they could talk: dark with smoldering heat just below the surface.

"I don't remember meeting anyone like you before." I licked the corners of my mouth like a madman which, as I loved to remind everyone, I was. "You never answered my question, bitch."

"Well, Jeff the Killer, I'm _Jane_ the Killer, and trust me when I tell you that you have known me for a long time." She started to move and I matched her steps. We circled each other like a macabre ballet, never taking our eyes off the other person. Every movement of pale skin and dark hair elevated me to a new level of excitement. I was high off the thrill, drunk on adrenaline and it seemed that fighting with this Jane girl was like my quick fix. It was too bad only one of us could make it out of here alive.

"I like the name 'Jane'. I will be sorry to see you die." A mad giggle escaped and I lunged for her white neck, ready to kill. She met me halfway with a knife of her own that sparked as it hit mine. She let out an insane laugh as well that I couldn't help but note

complimented my own.

"You just don't get it, Jeff. I'm not going to be killed tonight. I've been waiting for years for this moment and now _I_ am going to fucking kill _you_ , sick bastard." I backed off and lunged for her again. For my troubles I received a cut on my cheek. The blood trickled into my mouth; its metallic taste coating my throat and invading my nostrils with its sharp stench. I'll admit this wasn't quite what I had meant when I had pictured blood staining my clothes. As a matter of fact, I had been quite sure that it would have been her blood. She stabbed at me again and again but it was child's play to deflect her blows. "Just give up, Jeff." she grunted. "The only reason I keep going is so I can kill you. Do you really think you can stop me?"

My eyes glinted and my question came as quickly as my blade. "Why _are_ you trying to kill me, Jane?" She froze for the barest fraction of a moment, which aided me in lending a nick to her right arm that started to bleed instantly.

"Why?!" she screamed in my face. "Because you did _this_ to me!

It was my turned to be shocked. _Me? What had I even done?_

As if she read my thoughts she nodded and growled, "Yes, you. You were the one who I stupidly tried to help when you went up in flames and look where it fucking got Me." she was shouting in my face which drove me backwards more effectively than her flashing blade.

"But you're amazing!" I crooned happily. "Aren't you happy you look like this? You're wonderful now." However lavish my compliments, Jane remained unaffected. She made a downwards chopping motion with her knife that would have cut my arm off if I hadn't moved out of her way in time. Jane's hair fell from her braid in a tangled mess that hung in her face. She seemed unaware of the strands clumping together to block her vision.

"No, I'm not, Jeff. I never wanted to be one of your ugly masterpieces. I really was beautiful before you destroyed me." She had tears falling from those perfect eyes now. Her face crumpled into a horrible mix of hatred and deadly determination. "You deserve to die after how many families you have ruined with your shitty, twisted games." I winced slightly at her word choice. Sure they weren't the most fun games but twisted, never. I was only _helping_ people.

She bore down on me with a precision that came from her intent to kill. I gently parried her strikes with ones of my own while I said conversationally, "Come on, Jane. You are the picture of loveliness now. Admit it, you love it. Besides don't you kill people as well?" I raised my eyebrows with a quickly widening grin. "I heard every scene was a fucking blood bath."

"I didn't want to do it, I swear. They just reminded me of you, so much so I _had_ to kill them." Jane was still crying, and it was a wonder that the water pouring from her eyes didn't completely blind her.

"Aww Jane, it sounds like you have a soft spot for me." She howled and lunged at me, recklessness exploding from her like water from a broken dam.

"No, I don't. I spent the first fourteen years of my life wanting to grow up to be a normal person. Thanks to you, I spent the next ten years stuck in this horrible ageless limbo, created around senseless slaughter, trying to accept what I never could be. I want to be normal, I really do wish I could fall in love or even make a friend." Spittle sprayed from her mouth and she feinted to my right then attacked my unguarded left side, I dodged not a moment too soon. "But thanks to you and your _fucking_ ' _improvements'_ , I never will."

"You could fall in love with me. I could introduce you to plenty of people who are just like you." I teased. "Come on Jane, I know you want to." I smirked and whispered. "Don't worry, I think you look perfectly beautiful." I advanced on her and with my unoccupied hand I cupped Jane's chin in my palm forcing her to look directly in my crazed eyes. "What do you say?"

She jerked away and in a fit of rage she flung her knife directly at my wonderful face. I felt fear freeze my limbs but I resolutely pushed past the stupid icy barrier and just barely deflected the assault. I heard the knife bite into the wall behind me and stay there, still vibrating. Now weaponless, Jane backed up till she could go no further. I advanced, pleased that I, at last, possessed the definite upper hand. I shoved her shoulder into the wall and moved my knife so it was only a breath away from her lovely face. With ever beat of my heat I prepared to finally end the life of this annoying (yet cute) girl named Jane. Her breathing was ragged now, making my blade tremble slightly.

"So," Jane calmly let the word hang in the air making our final silence lengthen and bend into the very first stages of possibilities. "Are you going to kill me now?" Those words effectively ended my train of thoughts of what could be and brought it crashing back to what was before me. "Please don't mess up this time. I don't want to end up even more disfigured than I already fucking am."

Still I stood there without a single movement. I knew how it should end as well as I knew my knife. I would stab her and she would scream. I would then proceed to stab her more until I was drenched in blood and Jane was silent. Fixated as I was on the curiously wonderful creature before me, I could not seem to will my nerves to carry it out.

"Scared?" she shot at me. "You cowardly, worthless piece of shit!" I could not quite understand her sudden return of her ire in the situation. "Why can't you kill me? Stop standing there and fucking stab me! You won fair and square so just end me now and be done with it." She suddenly sagged against my hold, like her own legs could not hold up a moment longer. Tears made their unwanted and pitiful appearance once more as she broke into pieces before me. I realized, in that shattering crystal moment, that I could no more kill Jane than she could kill me, in a fair fight. "I failed." she sobbed. "The one thing I wanted to accomplish with my life and I failed."

Despite the fact that Jane had been intent on killing me not moments before, I lowered my knife from her face. She glanced up at me in shock. "I'm sorry." I said suddenly. "But I can't stab someone in the face that looks so much like me." I released her shoulder suddenly and watched as she slowly sank to the floor. I leaned against a wall lazily not even breathing hard.

"But I just tried to kill you. Why would you let me go?" She looked so lost that I doubted she could find her way out on her own. I had finally struck upon the thing she most feared. It was simply this: she seemed genuinely frightened at the prospect of not knowing what was going to happen.

"Well I suppose you could say there are three reasons why I would dare to let you loose. Number one," I moved smartly to the wall behind me and yanked the knife Jane had thrown at me out from its wooden grasp. "You won't have this on you for a while if I have any say about it." I swiftly stashed it away within my hoodie with a twisted grin. Come to think of it, that was really the only grin I possessed. "Two," I shrugged slowly, "Because I can and want to, and three," I crouched down next to her and, with a huge smile, I finished, "You fascinate me, Jane the Killer. No one so beautiful has ever tried to end me before." An exciting prospect tugged at me and in that moment I decided to take a chance. Surely things would turn out alright this time and at least I wouldn't be bored anymore. "In fact Jane, you interest me to such an extent that I'm taking you along with me. You could say that today is your lucky day."

I half expected for her to rebel and fight my decision, after all, hadn't she just tried to kill me? However instead of throwing herself at me, her fierce black gaze pierced me through and I felt like I was burning to death all over again. "I hate you, Jeff. First you ruin my childhood, then you destroy my reason for living, all in some screwed up game you play in your messed up head. Just so you are aware, I won't play by your damn rules." She rose, shaking, and I rose with her, pleased to realize I was a good bit taller than her, and even though she was certainly intimidating to most people, I seemed to have, for all intents and purposes, temporarily tamed her. With a twitch of her wrist she grabbed ahold of the pale, toned mask and fit it to her wonderful face, covering its glory and returning her to, in the eyes of everyone else in the world, normal. She turned back to me and spat, "I'll go with you but I'm going to make my own rules and, trust me, at the first opportunity I get, I _will_ stab you in the fucking back."

"That's wonderful." I widened my grin to its fullest extent, displaying a gruesome picture of scarred, exposed muscle and much too white teeth. "This dance would be no fun if we followed the music the minstrel plays for us. Now," I announced, suddenly all business, or as close as I could come to 'all business'. "We have an old house and an old friend to visit." I grabbed her hand and she protested, trying without success to break free. Ignoring her with practiced ease, I dragged her behind me through her house and into a pitch black outside that was rivaling the intense dark of her eyes. I had an uncanny feeling that whatever this would lead to I would thoroughly enjoy because at the very least it looked like I had fixed my boredom issues. I looked to the sky and gave the moon a broken and snapped grin. This would be interesting.


	2. Chapter 2

_Over the river and through the woods, to Grandmother's fucking house we go._ The little ditty I had learned as a child played in my mind. We weren't quite going to a kindly grandmother's house, but I felt that it was still mostly applicable to our current situation. Jane, who had clearly not done enough running through the woods previously, dragged somewhat. I was glad that she had at least stopped complaining loudly enough to wake the dead; sadly, that didn't mean she wasn't whining in my ear.

"Do you even know where we're going?" She glared into my eyes as if trying to detect my levels of certainty. Clearly what she found was not up to her code. "You have no fucking clue where we're going, do you?" She leaned as far away as the dense foliage and my grip on her hand would allow.

I brushed the hilt of my knife as I was known to do and smiled, although there was no real mirth in it. "I know the general idea of the place and the current time, but there are things that make this grandmother's house a bit tricky to locate. It helps, of course, to know where you're going," I continued jauntily, "but it is more about whether the house wants to be found or not."

"Please tell me that you're joking." When I gave no indication that this was the case, she yelled in outrage, "You are tearing through the woods, dragging me along looking for a house that might decide that it actually doesn't want to be found, all to visit a mysterious friend you've yet to reveal the identity of to me!"

"That's the general idea." I admitted.

"You're un-fucking-believable." Jane huffed. If she still had her knife on her at this moment, I would want to be somewhere far away.

I ran my tongue over my teeth and gave what could be construed as a laugh. "I get that a lot, sweetheart." The slap caught me off guard.

"Jeff, I get that I don't have a knife and that you do. I also fully understand my current position as loser of our fight, but if you _ever_ call me sweetheart again, I will rip the skin off your damn face with my fucking fingernails." she sounded dead serious.

I smirked, enjoying our fun little game. "Whatever you say, sunshine." I dodged the inevitable smack, laughing madly. "We should be getting close." The house was apparently in a great mood tonight.

She made a disgruntled sound that was all guttural. "When you're trying to find a house lost to space and time, that means zilch." I looked behind me and raised an eyebrow at her constantly encroaching sarcasm as though the vocal inflection was a living entity before me. Jane made every effort to take no notice of my gaze, however briefly it was upon her. This was, of course, how I was assured of her attentiveness to my every move. She was still a wild animal despite the lack of physical violence toward me at this moment. I knew firsthand what she was capable of.

"It was a warning." I deadpanned. "It was supposed to be helpful."

"And what sad impression of me dictates I need a shitty ass helpful warning?" She glared at me with a killer's intent. It made shivers tag team up and down my spine, not unpleasantly.

"Just don't get me dirty when you throw up." I could feel the cold dead air dragging me in so tenderly that I almost started to wonder if the old mansion missed me. A sudden and agonizing jerk in my mind and stomach yanked me down and pulled me inside out. Jane's scream of pain was a delightful cacophony to hear. Everything vanished from my field of vision as I relaxed and waited.

We were suddenly on solid ground again as the black released us into a catacomb-like atmosphere. A retching from Jane warned me to drop her hand and move behind her as she fell to her knees and, just as I had predicted, was violently sick. Despite my previous indifference, I knelt beside her tenderly and held her hair back from her face as she expelled everything she had eaten within the last twelve hours onto the ground before her. "I puked the first time too." I whispered sympathetically as I smoothed her long, black waves down over her back and fished in my pocket for the cloth I used to clean my knife. I examined it for any obvious congealed blood, then handed it to her.

Jane looked at me resentfully but took it anyway. It was clear she felt like total shit after our trip and didn't want to move but I wasn't really in a coddling mood anymore, so I jerked to my feet and yanked her with me. "Can't you give me a minute? I just puked, you bastard." she protested.

"It's all complaints with you, isn't it?" I muttered in annoyance. "I don't have time to just sit around when we're already so close to the house. Don't you want to meet everyone?"

"Whatever. Just don't expect me to feel bad if you get hurt." Jane grumbled.

She followed me through the woods cautiously and I fought the urge to laugh at her. Who did she think was going to jump out at her? The fucking Rake? Then I did laugh, because that actually might happen here, and what's the point of holding back a perfectly good laugh? Just to see her reaction, I brought my fingers to my mouth and gave a piercing whistle. The loud bark of a dog made her jump nearly right out of her skin.

"What was that" She looked like she wanted to murder me for scaring her. You know, she always looked like she wanted to murder me now that I think about it.

"Relax." I said with a leer. "It's just Smile." As if on cue, a shaggy black and blood stained hound leapt out of the undergrowth with, as his name would suggest, a big, all too human smile. He barked excitedly and licked my hand, then turned to Jane and turned his head curiously. With a cautious bark, he crept forward nudged her hand, then laid down, exposing his belly.

Jane stooped and gave Smile's belly a good rub. She slowly started to smile, and soon she was laughing as Smile pawed her leg in an attempt to pet her back. "You are a very soft dog, Smile." As if understanding, Smile licked her hand and looked up at her with reverence.

"Oh come on Smile, I thought you liked me best!" My protests were not real, but they served the intended purpose. Smile got to his feet regretfully and, after one last sad glance at Jane, bolted off back to the house. "Come on." I reached out a hand to help her up. She ignored me and got up on her own. "Let's get to the house."

We broke through the tree covering at last and I looked up at the house fondly. Its wooden walls were made of old weathered planks and the roof of old pieces of slate. The porch was long, creaky in appearances, and did not look safe, but I walked up the stairs unconcerned. Jane followed at a more lurching pace, nervous about the surroundings and, most likely, me. I reached a hand to the door and was about to knock when the door swung inwards and I was hit with a gale force hug.

"Jeff! You're back!" Sally cried joyfully. I bent down and lifted the eight-year-old up until she could easily wrap her arms around my neck. I returned the hug, then ruffled her feathery brown hair. She looked at me with her bright green eyes and wiped a drop of the blood that was constantly leaking from the fatal head wound given to her by her uncle. "Me and Smile missed you, Jeff."

"I'm sorry for not visiting sooner, darling. I had-" I turned to Jane with a grin. "Other arrangements." I twisted my neck back around to Sally, who was holding Jane's knife and examining it as if she had never seen one before.

"This isn't your knife, Jeff." She looked at me like I had grown another eye. "You _never_ use another knife."

I laughed at her adorable confusion. "It isn't mine, darling. That particular knife belongs to Jane right here."

Sally looked over my shoulder and shot Jane a death stare. "Where did she come from? How do you know we can trust her, Jeff?"

I laughed again. "We can't trust her. She has promised to stab me in the back at the first opportunity!" Jane shifted uncomfortably from left to right.

"Oh, that's okay then!" Sally exclaimed happily. She squirmed her way out of my arms and ran over to Jane. Jane took a nervous step back, but in the end, she was no match for Sally's hug. "We are going to be great friends!"

Jane looked at me as if begging for help. I smirked in response and said to Sally, "Come on darling, let's take Jane inside."

Sally looked back at me and smiled, showing off the little space where a baby tooth had fallen out before her death and was never replaced. "Okay, Jeff." She finally released Jane and grabbed my hand, intent on pulling me inside. I let her drag me away, only after turning to be certain that Jane was following us.

Once inside, I was met with red light and a familiar musty odor that hinted at blood and air that wasn't properly disturbed. I studied Jane's face carefully as Sally babbled on about this and that and 'oh we've all missed you!'. Jane was obviously out of her element, and it amused me to see her so on edge, how it allowed me to see another one of her faces.

Banging sounds from the upstairs and a small boy in green with black eyes ran down the stairs and into Sally. "Ben!" Sally wailed. "Look where you're going!"

"Sorry." Ben dusted himself off and moved the messy blond hair from his eyes. He then took in the occupants of the room with narrowed eyes that soon found the one that didn't belong. He stared up at Jane with an annoyed and confused expression. "Da fuck are you?"

"Ben!" Sally cried in horror, "Don't say things like that! That's a bad word. You could have just asked who she was normally." She looked up at Jane with a penitent expression. "I'm sorry about my brother. He learned bad words from Jeff."

"Hey!" I exclaimed with mock offense. "Don't blame me! I only use them _sometimes_ , and only when they're useful." Technically it was true. I just found more uses for them than most people. "I would just love to discuss my word usage, but Jane has an appointment with the boss." I winked at Ben and Sally, and they grinned in understanding.

"Well, don't let us keep you." Ben bowed exaggeratedly for us and moved aside.

"Don't let him eat Jane, Jeff." Sally moved too but, her compliance was clearly more reluctant than her brother's.

"See you two in a bit." I walked between them and started up the stairs, but the lack of Jane behind me stopped in my tracks. "Jane, don't make this harder than it needs to be, because I _will_ drag you up these stairs it I have to."

Jane moved in a trance and ghosted up the stairs after me. I led her down the dark, ominous hall lined with doors that were all shut tight and seriously pulling off that uninviting vibe they were going for. Jane was clearly regretting all her life choices as she followed me, jumping at every little thing that went _creak_. I laughed inwardly at how different our reactions were. She shivered at its creepiness and I grinned at its familiarity.

"I don't like it here. It feels so wrong." Jane ran a hand along the wallpaper as if looking for a secret door, or possibly just a way out.

My eyes were sent rolling. Why did she have to overreact to the smallest things? "Stop acting so fucking wimpy, Jane." I chided.

"Jeffrey the Killer," echoed a soft and slightly menacing voice from the door at the end at the hallway. "What have I told you about the usage of such coarse words under this roof?" The door swung outward to reveal a dark, tall figure without a face. His thin frame was clothed in a finely tailored suit and his arms were folded in an unhappy manner. Jane whimpered in fear from behind me.

"Hey, Slendy." I said casually, tilting my head to the side and staring up into the blank white head. "Long time no see."

"Indeed." Slenderman's tone was one of total disdain. "I never took you for one who breaks my rule about no strays, Jeffrey, but you have always been full of surprises."

"In my defense, Slendy, Jane the Killer is a special case." I licked the corners of my mouth and grinned at the frozen Jane.

"Good Lord, Jane, are you dressed in your pajamas? Did Jeffrey drag you from your bed?" Slenderman would have glared at me if he had eyes. "Jeffrey, I expected better of you." Slenderman looked back down the hallway we had come and, looking at Sally, said, "Ah Sally, will you help Jane the Killer find some proper clothing? I'm sure Clockwork has left behind some things that will fit her fine."

Sally ran forward to take Jane's hand and then dragged her away. "Back in a jiff, Slendy."

Slenderman walked into the office at the end of the hall and sat in the custom-made leather chair behind the desk. He gestured to the other seat and then folded his long white fingers before him. "Convince me, Jeffrey. Tell me why I should let Jane the Killer stay." The voice did not actually come from Slendy, rather it came from Hoodie, one of Slenderman's three proxies. Hoodie sat hunched over his yellow hoodie that he had gotten his name from, effectively hiding his face from view. Even though it was really him who spoke, it was Slenderman I faced when I spoke.

"She tried to kill me, Slendy." I leaned back in my chair and stretched my long arms above my head, at complete ease with my surroundings.

"She failed, I see." One long finger tapped the others slowly, as if unimpressed.

"She kills people because of me. She wants to save them from my games." I was extrapolating of course, but Slendy didn't know that. "She belongs here, plain and simple."

"I feel, Jeffrey, that you are leaving out something." I could feel his nonexistent gaze slowly fishing truth from my mental pools of blood. "Tell me, what is the selfish reason that drives this 'good work'?"

I felt my relaxed mood shift into an uncomfortable pause. "I just couldn't kill her. That has to mean something." I looked pleadingly into his blank face. "I killed my own brother, Slenderman. What could be so special about Jane that prevented me from just stabbing her? I don't understand why, but the fact stands that she is important to me, even if she wants me to die."

"Hmm." Slenderman got to his feet and paced slowly. The long tendrils that shot out from his suit coat waved thoughtfully in time with his feet. "Do you have affections for Jane?"

I balked at his question. _Where the fuck had_ that _come from_? "No. I never said that, I just said I was interested in killing her, that's all."

"Hmm." He stopped with his back to me. In the light, he was the picture of the night. The man-monster that stood before me was the embodiment of all that went bump in the night. He had given nightmares as gifts and eaten people before we were even a thought. I could see that in him now, despite his questions about my emotions.

"She could be useful to us, Slendy." Hoodie had lifted his head up and was addressing Slenderman in his own voice. The red X's that served as his eyes had an almost reasonable tint to them. "Jeffrey might not always be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he's right this time. I don't think this will end up like it did last time."

I shook at the detestable thought. _Last time damn near killed us all._

Slender turned suddenly and called to the closed door behind me, "Come in, Jane. There is no need to listen in."

Jane tumbled into the room wearing a tightly fitting knit dress and black hoodie. I wolf whistled just to piss her off. It worked. She rotated to face me stiffly and gave me the universal _I am going to fucking kill you_ look.

"It appears that you found something to wear, Jane." Slenderman remarked as he took his seat. "Please take a seat next to Jeffrey here."

Jane walked forward, never taking her eyes off of Slender. With surprisingly steady fingers she pulled out the chair and delicately placed herself on the edge of it. "I'm sorry sir, but I am still confused as to what I'm doing here."

"Please, call me Slendy, Jane. To answer your question, you are here to tell me who you are." Slenderman splayed his hands on the desk and froze in that unnerving position.

"I'm here because I lost, Slendy. Jeff beat me fair and square, so I unwillingly followed him to your little haunt." Jane showed no glaring sign of being scared, but I could see the steady drum beat that her fingers were beating into her leg.

"I see. What do you think about Jeffrey?" Slendy's question seemed redundant after what I had told him, but I knew he wanted to see her personality through her answers more than anything.

"I hate him." she blurted out. "I want to murder him at the first opportunity!" Her rage was already threatening to overflow. I could almost see the mental checklist Slenderman was filling out. No patience, full of anger, and very certain.

"Ah, and looking back on the fight you two just had, are still sure killing him is in your best interests?" Slender leaned forward almost imperceptibly.

"I- I think so." Jane sounded indecisive. Not actually that sure of herself.

"If you had to, would you protect Jeffrey?" I was on the edge of my seat now. What kind of a shitty question was that?

"I don't know." Jane was intently focusing on her lap, unable to meet either of our gazes. "Yes, no?"

"Very well. Jane, I would like to offer a place for you here. I say offer, but I am sure you understand it is an order you will obey. You must stay in this house for a week. During that time, this house will slowly become accustomed to your presence and will form a bond with you. Once this bond is formed, you will be forever drawn to this house and will come back whether you want to or not, because it will be your home." He would have smiled if he could have. "Yes, we are brainwashing you. You will be taking up residence in our little Sally's room. For future reference, what I say is law here. You should probably get used to it now. That is all, you may go."

I grabbed her arm once more and half pushed, half dragged her from the room. As the door shut behind us with no obvious person moving it, I hardly heard Jane's half muttered, "Well, fuck."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: This story took forever. I'm** ** _so_** **sorry! Thankfully sleep deprivation causes writers** **inspiration! I hope you like chapter three and as always, enjoy!**

I looked cautiously into the dim, cold room. One side of the room emanated happy sunshine and rainbows, while the other side sucked all of that joy away with its lonely and moth-eaten vibe. "It's…nice." I tried to sound enthusiastic, I really did, but it was a tad bit hard when you consider the fact that you're sharing a house with your parents' murderer/your mortal enemy plus a whole fucking pasta salad of other killers in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Sally pushed past my frozen figure and leapt onto the happy bed on the right side of the room with gusto. "It's wonderful here once you get used to it!" She splayed out spread eagle on her bed and attempted to touch the edges without success. "Now before I forget, there are a few things you must know about sleeping in this house." Sally adopted a serious air that didn't suit the eight year old. "One, if the Rake shows up, don't look directly at him. He doesn't like it. Two, if Smile jumps on your bed, don't push him off because that's a mean thing to do and he kinda might kill you for it."

"Thanks for the advice." I muttered dryly. I walked over to the bed that Sally was not occupying and sat down, sliding my fingers over the old bedspread to smooth it down and listening to the protesting squeak of the old springs. I wondered, _How could anyone ever get used to this?_ The sounds it was making reminded me of a dying animal. "Did you want to come here, Sally?" I asked out of the blue, my curiosity getting the better of the sullen attitude I had been determined to keep.

Sally flipped over and propped her head up on her small hands. "Hm…I didn't have a choice, really. I was killing lots of people because I was upset and I didn't know what else to do. Slendy showed up after one particularly bloody killing with Toby and told me it was time to come home. He just scooped me up and carried me here. I was so scared and confused at everything that this place seemed like a haven. I've always felt especially safe here because of Jeff and Ben. They both just adopted me as a sister, and ever since then, they've taken it upon themselves to keep me safe." I was shocked. Jeff? Nice? No fucking way. I tried to wrap my mind around the possibility that Jeff wasn't the total bastard I had assumed he was. "Don't look so surprised Jane. Jeff's basically a good person!"

I snorted. I could think of a lot of things that described Jeff but 'basically a good person' did not feature. "Jeff isn't anything good to me Sally."

"Yes he is! He brought you here didn't he?" Her childish joy was so adorable that I almost aggreed with her.

What Sally had said reminded me of something. "Sally, why was Slendy so hesitant about letting me stay here?" The question had been irking me for a while.

"It's because of Jeff." Sally said darkly.

Of course it was because of that asshole. He ruins everything. "What did he do?"

Sally looked at me and shook her head. "You don't want to know, Jane. Trust me."

I flopped back on my bed and stared at the cracked plaster on the ceiling. _What did you do Jeff?_

A knock came at the door, and before I could say anything Sally called sweetly, "Who is it?"

"It's me, Sally." called the knocker which didn't tell me anything.

"Masky! Come in!" The door was opened by a man in a smiling, white mask. Strangely enough, he was holding a teddy bear in his hand.

He held it up and said, "You left this in the hallway outside my and Hoodie's room, Sally."

"Charlie!" Sally ran up and hugged Masky tightly around the waist. He stooped to properly hug her in return. "Thank you, Masky. You're the bestest ever!"

"I couldn't just leave him there! He would have gotten lonely without you." Masky looked over and saw me. "Who's that, Sally?" He said softly in her ear.

I let out a snort of indignance. Did he really think I couldn't hear him? "I'm Jane. Thanks ever so much for asking." My voice dripped the sarcasm I never went anywhere without.

Masky studied me critically choosing to ignore the sarcasm. "Did Jeff bring you here?" I nodded, surprised he had known. "Figures. He never _does_ fucking learn." Then, "Sorry, Sally. I should watch my language."

"Yes, you should." Sally said with childish annoyance. "You're almost as bad as Jeff." She snached her bear and sat on her bed in a huff.

"Do you know why he brought you here?" Masky asked quietly. He asked it like he already knew the answer which ticked me off. _I_ didn't even know the answer.

"Nope." Then I remembered something Jeff had said. "Well, actually, he said I was interesting, whatever that means." Masky was still watching me with that same blank, disconcerting expression. Then I realized that was the only expression he could make. He was wearing a fucking mask. "What?" I asked with irritation.

Masky snorted and turned away. "At least he's found someone as stupid as he is. You two are perfect for each other."

I felt anger boil up inside me. "If you don't have anything better to do than make shitty comments, get the fuck out of this room."

Masky bowed theatrically. "With great pleasure, bitch." The door clicked shut behind him too softly to do the heated argument justice.

"What a dick." I muttered under my breath, still furious. I finally spared a glance for Sally and flinched. _Whoops._

The poor girl sat there absolutely shell-shocked, her eyes as wide as dinner plates. She slowly lowered her hands from her ears and picked her jaw off the floor.

"Um, sorry Sally, I didn't mean to swear that much, but you have to admit, he started it." She just opened and closed her mouth like a dying fish. "Look, I won't do it again." Complete bullshit. "I really am sorry."

"Wow." She shook her head to clear it, curls bouncing wildly. "You just…wow." Then she giggled and grinned. "Masky was right about one thing. You and Jeff would be _perfect_ for each other." She fell to the ground laughing so hard that tears ran from her eyes. "The last time I heard so many bad words was when Jeff tried to cook!" Her laughter finally subsided into spasmodic coughing. "That reminds me, we should probably go downstairs so you can meet everybody before dinner." I blinked, unsure if I had heard her correctly. "Yes, dinner." Sally said brightly. "Get ready for the biggest internal clock reset in your life."

~o~o~o~o~O~o~o~o~o~O~o~o~o~o~

I crept down the stairs after Sally. I was unsure of why exactly I felt I should be quiet, so I chalked it up to nerves. I blame a lot on nerves. We descended at least three flights of stairs before we reached the ground floor. At the bottom, Sally called, "Good luck!" and vanished.

I walked down the hall and chose the open archway, only to be met with a smiling Jeff. "Oh Jane, how wonderful to see you! How are you settling in?" His cheerful tone and friendly manner made me want to slit his throat. Sadly, the bastard still had _my_ knife.

"Fuck off, asshole. I hate your guts, so don't act like we're best friends." I growled the words at him.

"Come on, Jane." Jeff threw an arm around my shoulder, much to my ire. "If you keep cursing at me I might get the wrong impression of you." I threw his arm off but he just cackled. "I hear you've already made a shitty first impression, and you only just got here."

"Do you really think I give two shits?" I asked, angry.

"No." he admitted. "But if you were smart, you would. You're going to have to live with these people for a long time."

"Jeff?" called someone from the doorway.

I'll admit, I groaned. "Not another new person." I muttered in exhausted whines. "I'm up to my fucking eyeballs in new already."

"Ah, hello." The man moved slowly into the room and I realized with a jolt that he had no eyes. Where they should have been were big black holes that dripped black ooze. He was blind. "You must be Jane. Masky mentioned you, most unfavorably, I might add." He tilted his head a bit and smiled kindly.

Jeff snorted. "What tipped you off? Her excessive swearing, or was it the sulky mood?" He studied the newcomer critically and asked with a touch of worry, "Hey Jack, what happened to your mask?"

"Stupid Toby hid it again." Jack hissed through his teeth. He moved over to Jeff and threw his arms around his shoulders, easily resting his head on the shorter boy. "I'm EJ, by the way." Those words and a smile were directed at me. "Eyeless Jack. I share a room with Jeff."

"Not willingly. I've asked Slendy to let me have another room lots of times." Jeff was struggling fruitlessly to be free of the taller boy's arms. "Would you let me go! You know I don't like it when you act like this. I thought I had made it plain that I'm _not_ interested!"

"You're just salty because you like me now and you don't know how to tell me." Eyeless Jack seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself.

"Shut up!" Jeff scrambled at Jack's arms in an attempt to escape. "I will cut your fucking fingers off!"

"You're just upset because I'm right."

Jeff threw me a look full of pleading. _Help me!_ he seemed to beg.

I grinned and twiddled my fingers playfully. "You two have fun!" _If you won't help me, then you suffer the consequences, Jeff dear._

I turned to survey the rest of the room. I seemed to be a drawing room that opened into a stately dining room, complete with a glass chandelier and long, oak table. I could tell that there were going to be a lot of new people to meet just by looking at the number of places that had been set out for dinner. Ugh, thinking in the morning about eating dinner was giving me a headache.

I made my way over to the door at the end of the dining room and pushed it open gently. I was met with a flurry of activity. Slender was in the center of it all, tendrils flying every which way, grabbing pots, pans, ingredients, and Ben when he tried to grab one of the freshly baked peanut butter chocolate cookies from the counter.

"Come on Slendy, just one?" he pleaded, pitch black eyes wide.

" _Out!_ " Slenderman bellowed. "Jane dear, would you mind stepping aside for a second?" I did as I was told and Ben was (literally) thrown out the door.

I looked past Slender to the breakfast nook where three people sat. Masky, the guy in the yellow hood with no face, and a guy who looked about my age with big yellow goggles over his eyes and a scarf over his mouth. The moment the yellow hooded guy noticed me, he beckoned me forward, saying, "Hey Jane, we were just talking about you."

As I neared the table, Masky snorted and pushed past me kitchen door slammed behind him, which should have been impossible because it was a swinging door.

The third guy at the table lept up and ran to meet me. "So _you're_ Jane the Killer! Sally said she's sharing a room with you now." I caught him studying me closely. "Hm. You don't look very much like a goddamned-" He caught Slenderman looking, twitched violently, and finished abruptly, "Dish."

"Toby calm down, you're scaring her." Yellow hood muttered.

Toby sighed loudly and twitched again, which didn't exactly put my nerves at rest. "Fine, I'll try again." Toby turned to me and said, in a voice one uses when addressing kindergarteners, "Hello, Jane! My name's Ticci Toby, and that's Hoodie. It's _so_ nice to meet you."

Hoodie chuckled softly. "Good try, Toby. Next time without the overflowing sarcasm."

"That's fine." I said softly then I faced Toby. "You wouldn't happen to be the same person who stole Jack's mask?"

"The v-very same!" One of Toby's hands disappeared into his hoodie, ( _What is everyone's obsession with hoodies?_ ) and produced a blue mask with black stains coming from the eye holes. "Goodness, you'd think that EJ couldn't survive without it." He removed his large yellow aviator goggles and replaced them with the mask. "Hey Hoodie, hey Hoodie, hey Hoodie." Toby poked Hoodie repeatedly. "Guess what? I'm Jack! See, because I have the mask. Do you get it?"

"Shut the fuck up, Toby." Slendy's head snapped around to stare accusingly at Hoodie. "What? I mean cupcakes!"

"Cupcakes? Where?" A bright pink thing that vaguely resembled a horse bounced into the room. "Hey Slendy, can I make cupcakes?"

Slender turned and sighed softly. "Pinkamena… Last time you made cupcakes in my kitchen, I was cleaning up the blood for days." He turned back to his preparations. "What you can do is skin and dice the potatoes."

"Okay!" The pink pony leapt over to the chopping block and was soon chopping away.

The room was silent for a minute or so before Toby spoke again. "I can't believe that Jeff would ever have considered bringing you here." He leaned away from my stormy glare. "N-no offence, but after last time, it's kind of amazing."

"What happened 'last time'?" I asked, patience running out.

Hoodie looked at me. "Let's just say that last time he brought someone new here, it didn't turn out well."

 _Someone else…_ I'm tempted to ask who it was, but I have a feeling I've pushed my luck enough.

"You're Jane, aren't you?" the bubbly pink horse asked suddenly. "Because Jeff was talking about how Jane tried to kill him."

"Yes, I am." I said quietly, still trying to piece together what little information I've been given.

"I'm Pinkamena Pie! That's a mouthful, so just call me Pinky! It's totally okay to try to kill Jeff, as long as you don't succeed! Kill innocent strangers instead! Do you like cupcakes?" She sounded so happy and for a second, I'm envious. It must be nice to feel at home.

"I can't say I've had a cupcake in a long while." I mused. _Not since I had a mother to bake them._

"Well, don't eat Pinky's, unless you're sure they aren't filled with people bits or poison." Toby chuckled.

"Relax, Ticci! I don't _always_ poison people." She smiled innocently. The conversation made me smile too. I have to admit, I could get used to this.

We spent the next thirty minutes chatting about nothing in particular. It was nice. Comfortable. Like home. Thoughts of staying flashed before my mind briefly but I fought them back. I didn't want to stay. I couldn't kill Jeff and expect them to still want me around.

Dinner was a confusing affair. Plates of food were flying everywhere and everyone wanted to comment on how fucking stupid Jeff was for bringing me here, but how glad they were that he did, because I wasn't half bad. All of it was getting to me.

The whole thing _did_ give me a chance to put names to faces. I met Clockwork, the girl from whom I had borrowed clothes, and Laughing Jack, a tall, black and white clown with a striped nose and tongue. I also met the Bloody Painter and the Puppeteer, but they were too caught up making goo goo eyes at each other to pay much attention to me. Zero wasn't so bad, even if she was a little off putting. But then again, who here isn't?

I almost wished I could call this home.

"So Jane," Clockwork asked me as we climbed the flights of stairs to our respective rooms. "What do you think of it here?"

I thought for another flight of stairs. "It's pretty good, I guess." I rubbed the back of my neck and laughed. "It'll be nice to sleep in a bed I can call my own. It seems so peaceful up at the top of the house."

"Ha!" Her bark of laughter startled me. "You have it nice! I have a room that has Ticci Toby on one side of it and Eyeless Jack and Jeff on the other. Peace is seldom."

I latched on to about two words of her sentence. Jeff and room. Jeff had a room that he slept in for the night, in the same house as mine.

A plan started to form itself in my mind. A glorious plan.

If I can't kill him when he's awake, I'll kill Jeff when he's asleep. _It shouldn't be that hard._ I reasoned. _After all, his knife will be right there._

"Lost in thought, Jane? Are you, perchance, thinking about Jeff?" Clock's eyes had an evil glint to them that I had noticed a second too late.

"Yeah." My cheeks flushed red as I realized what she had meant. "No, not like that! I was just-"

She put a finger to my lips and grinned. "Don't feel bad. I tried to kill Toby when I first met him." She giggled in a girlish manner that didn't match her disturbing appearance. "Now I'm actually dating the bastard. Life happens whether you want it to or not."

She left me at her landing (the one below mine) with half a mind to strangle her. _Why do people think that Jeff and I- NO!_ I climbed the final few stairs to my floor and, after a few wrong doors, burst into my room and collapsed on my bed, prepared to not sleep a wink.

When Sally came into the room later, she whispered, "Jane? Are you awake?"

I ignored her and pretended to be out cold. She tiptoed around the room climbed into bed, and soon her breathing deepened and slowed. She was asleep. I sat up and looked at her little smile and teddy bear, Charlie, that she was clutching tightly. The message it sent to me was clear. I could be happy here. The sight almost made me change my mind and just go back to my bed. Almost.

I crept down the hall, balancing perfectly on the balls of my feet. Climbing down the stairs was nerve wracking for the sole reason that each stair creaked in an almost defiant way. Like they were yelling, 'Oh you're trying to be sneaky? Well fuck you!'

I snuck down Jeff's hall and was met with a problem. Whose door was whose?

I opened the first door and found the most disheveled room ever. Ticci Toby lay passed out on the only bed in the room. His goggles and scarf were still on. No wonder they looked like part of him. As I watched, his foot twitched and he muttered in a distressed moan, "You're asking me to chose between Clockwork and waffles? How could you?" I smirked despite everything.

I closed the door softly and continued past Clockwork's door, set on my goal. This wouldn't take long. _Maybe I can just take Jeff's knife to replace my own._ I mused as I opened his door.

The room had the same layout as my room. Two beds, one on one side, one on the other. I turned to the right and saw EJ fast asleep. His mask lay on the floor by his bed with his hand over it, almost like he was afraid of Toby stealing it while he was out.

On the left was Jeff. As I stepped into the room, I noticed that he was wearing a sleep mask. His hair was mussed into a cloud around his face. He looked so harmless when he was asleep, but I wasn't going to let that stop me.

His knife was indeed on his bedside table. It gleamed in the moonlight that seemed to always illuminate the house. I moved swiftly to it and picked it up reverently. It was so sharp that it sung softly as I moved it through the air.

A smirk crossed my face. I had always thought I would kill Jeff when he was awake and able to see his death approaching, but this would have to do. I worried for a moment that Jeff would wake up and kill me, but then I reasoned he would still be disoriented with that mask over his eyes. I lifted the knife above my head and prepared to bring it down into Jeff's heart. _Are you ready to die, Jeff? Because I'm ready to kill you._

The knife sliced through the air as I rapidly stabbed downward. Suddenly, I felt something long wrap around my arms, mouth and chest. I struggled, trying to scream or bite whatever was holding me, but I couldn't. A tendril much like the ones that held me fast plucked the knife from my grasp and placed it gently where it had laid previously. Then I was carried from the room, still struggling violently - that is, until a fourth tendril tightened around my neck. At that point, I went very still.

Once in the hallway, I was turned to face my attacker: Slenderman and a tired, angry-looking Masky.

"Now, now, Jane." Slender chided as he slowly squeezed the breath from my lungs. "I would be very grateful if you would but give our little Jeffrey a chance."

I struggled to respond, but couldn't do anything except make breathless angry sounds. Slenderman tightened his grip further as he started to carry me back to my own room.

Masky laughed at my misfortune. "Slendy is _very_ serious when it comes to the safety of his Pastas." He raised an eyebrow. "Also, you might want to do something about your skirt. From down here, I can see everything."

 _What is it with these people and sexual harassment?_ I screamed bloody murder at Masky as I tried to free myself. Slender slapped Masky across the face with a free tendril. I smirked. _Payback, you dick._

"As I was saying Jane, you can't just go killing Jeffrey, no matter how much you hate him. I went out on a limb by letting you stay here. Please don't mess it up." Slender said as he climbed the stairs.

"Fuck you." I tried to mutter through his grip. Immediately, my bonds were tightened to the point where little black spots danced before my eyes.

"Ah Jane, I would like to remind you that it's impolite to swear. Now, I believe this is your room." As my vision went completely black, I was dropped unceremoniously on my bed. The door shut behind him.

Color rushed back to fill my gaze as I made myself a promise. _I'm going to try to kill Jeff every night until I succeed. Before the week is over, I will fucking kill him._ With those thoughts in my mind, I drifted off to the first good sleep I had experienced in years.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: At last, another chapter. I'm excited for the next one already. I hope you can put up with me that long. ;) On a side note Alpha is now an official Beta! If you need something beta read she would be happy to oblige! (Shameless promotion is shameless) Anyways, ENJOY!**

 **Jane**

When I woke up the next morning, it was to Smile in my face. He sat on my chest pinning me to the the bed. Seeing that I was awake at last, he licked my face.

"Aw Smile, come on!" I protested, but there was no real weight to it. I didn't particularly want to have my head bitten off.

He woofed softly and rolled off of me, curling up by the wall. I carefully stepped out of my bed and got dressed. I would have rather had Smile leave before that, but I couldn't think of a way to make him go anywhere. He was almost the same size as I was. I threw on my new hoodie and sleepily walked out my door, making sure to leave it open so Smile could get out.

Yawning, I walked down the stairs. I couldn't help but feel annoyed at the fact that, unlike last night, the stairs didn't make a sound. I looked down Jeff's was quiet, so I continued down the stairs only to have someone wrap their arms around my waist and whisper, "Good morning, Jane." It sent shivers down my spine.

I elbowed Jeff in the stomach. He released me. "Keep your fucking hands off me, Jeff." I hissed.

He barked out a laugh. "Jane, Jane, Jane. _Tisk, tisk._ You need a new sense of humor." He ran his hands through my hair teasingly. "But you should know I don't mind the one you have now at all."

"Shut up!" I felt heat rise to my face. "Don't say things like that! I'm still going to kill you."

"Admit it, Jane. You can't kill me." His words burned in my gut. It made me want to stab his eyes out. "You like me too much."

 _I can and I will kill you. Tonight._ I hurried away from Jeff in a huff and ran into the Puppeteer.

"Hey Jane," Puppet deftly caught me and set me back on my feet. "This is certainly an interesting way of saying good morning."

"She was just running away from me." Jeff called from above me.

Puppet laughed. "God, Jeff. You really need to learn how to treat a woman." He winked at me.

A grudging smile crept across my face and I smacked him, but I did it gently because I kind of agreed with him. "Shut up." I walk around him and finish my descent down the stairs.

I was met with Sally and Ben arguing heatedly. "Ben, I don't want a cookie instead of Charlie! Where did you put him?" Sally had large tears rolling down her cheeks.

"I'm not giving it back to you! Why do you even need that stupid animal?" Ben asked in annoyance.

"Charlie needs me! He will be sad without me." Sally wailed.

"Alright." I step between the two squabbling siblings. "What happened?"

Sally clutched at my dress and looked up at me with those big green eyes. "Ben stole Charlie and won't give him back!" She sniffled. "I miss Charlie."

"I didn't steal him! I borrowed him. I'll give him back." Ben looked away and I knew immediately he wasn't telling the whole truth.

"Ben, sweetie, what did you do with her teddy bear?" I asked calmly. I had no idea what had possessed me to help solve their dispute, but it was too late to back out now.

"Fine." He folded his arms across his chest and glared at the floor. "I hid him."

"Ben-"

"I lost him, okay!" He looked at me with true remorse in his eyes. "I _was_ going to just hide him, but I don't remember where I put him."

Sally wailed louder than ever. "Ben! Now I'm never going to get him back! I hate you!" She sobbed into my side and I immediately felt like shit. What are adults supposed to do in this circumstance?

"Um, don't cry. We'll help you find Charlie." I glared at Ben. "Right?"

"I'm afraid that won't be possible. Benjamin has places to be today." Slenderman leaned over our little huddle. "But I'm sure Sally would love to have your help, Jane. But first, I insist you both eat something. I won't have anyone starve on my watch."

"Okay, Slender." I fixed both Ben and Sally with a firm glance. "First, I want you _both_ to apologize to each other."

"Sorry." they both mumbled in unison.

"Spoken like a true adult." Slenderman said approvingly. Something in my chest swelled with pride and happiness.

"Thanks." I grabbed Sally's hand in my right hand and Ben's in my left, then pulled them both to the source of all the wonderful aromas. In the kitchen I was met with Laughing Jack. On the different surfaces rested plates heaped with eggs, bacon, toast, peppermint patties, and, mysteriously, one plate of waffles.

"Take anything but the waffles!" LJ announced. "Those are for Toby. He gets upset if he doesn't get them." I didn't question this. Instead, I grabbed plates from where they rested and handed one to Sally and Ben, keeping one for myself. We all loaded our plates, then sat down at the small kitchen table.

"So Ben," I started after a couple of minutes spent eating. "Do you have any idea where you left the bear?"

"I don't know! I do this a lot so it could be anywhere." He sighed and hunched his shoulders guiltily. "It's one of my favorite games to play! Most of the time I hide it in someone's room so they find it and give it back to Sally."

 _Ah, so that's why Masky found Charlie!_ "So, we might have to go through people's rooms?" I felt slightly uncomfortable with that. Going through Jeff's room in the middle of the night was one thing. Going through some creepypasta's room that I didn't know was something entirely different. Going through Jeff's room again was a can of worms I wasn't even going to look at.

"Well duh!" Ben waved his fork around haphazardly. "I didn't hide it in my room or your room, but anywhere else is a possibility." His fork flew from his hand, nearly impaling Painter in the face. The Bloody Painter merely ducked under it and moved on like it was a common occurrence. "You might have to search the whole house!"

I nodded uncomfortably, already resigned to what was sure to take up the entirety of my day. "Okay, I'm sure we'll find the teddy bear eventually."

"I'm sorry to inform you Jane that Sally will not be helping." Slenderman was leaning over our conversation with a sincerely apologetic presence. "She has not killed anyone in two weeks and therefore is severely behind on her quota."

"But Slendy…" Sally pleaded.

He turned to face the rest of the kitchen. "What have I told you about arguments?" It was phrased as a question, but was clearly a statement not to be quibbled with.

Sally pouted a bit, but when everyone else started leaving, she went with them.

I was left alone.

The house was colder now. Empty and large with the high ceilings that had seemed open, but now felt impersonal. I wandered into the hall outside the dining room and slowly made my way down it. There was a restroom which only prompted a glance to check, and an unused office that inspired only a nervous peek. I was quick in moving on however, determined to get this bear business over with as quickly as possible.

I softly climbed the stairs to the first floor, wincing at every creak and crack the old house made. There were five doors, but only three of them appeared to be in use. There was also a doggy door on my left and so I started there, reasoning that someone as small as Ben could probably fit in easily.

I crawled on hands and knees into the small, cramped room. It clearly belonged to Smile. There were a few old toys that all resembled human bits but thankfully didn't smell like them. Sadly, Charlie was nowhere to be seen. I backed out of the door and hit my head on the sill.

"Ow!" My voice reverberated around the hall eerily. I shut my eyes and cowered slightly. This wasn't adding up to be a pleasant day.

I crossed the hall and entered the next door, and immediately left. The smell was unbearable. It burnt my nostrils and invaded my taste buds viciously. I opened the door again slightly and looked in. The room was littered with bloody arms, legs, heads, and just about anything else you could think of. Then I noticed that the other side of the room looked like a party had exploded. It was filled with streamers and confetti. Sadly, the merry decor did nothing to help the rest of the room. After a cursory once-over, I shut the door on the odor.

I went over the other two used rooms in much the same way. According to what Clockwork had told me, the rooms on this floor belonged to Pinky and the Rake, Zero, and Painter. She also informed me, with many a wink and a nudge, that Painter shared the room with Puppet.

Sadly for me, not a one contained the elusive teddy bear.

I proceeded to the fourth floor. I checked the first of two used bedrooms with caution, given my previous experience, and was pleasantly surprised. Hoodie and Masky had managed to keep their room, for the most part, clean! I searched it nervously, terrified that Masky would find me. I wasn't quite scared of him, but I did fear another nasty argument.

Absolutely sure that I wouldn't find the bear in this particular room, I left Masky's and Hoodie's room and moved to open the door across the hall. The door was locked. I wondered briefly why LJ would keep his room locked, then decided that I'd rather not know.

I walked soundlessly to Slendy's office. Just as before, the door opened when I neared it. I wondered if the house could sense where I was going. I stepped in and was immediately assaulted by memories of my first night here. The memory felt different than before.

That night, I had been furious and terrified. Jeff had just dragged me here and I had no fucking clue what was happening. It all should leave a bad taste in my mouth, but instead it felt detached and foreign. Jeff was still the bad guy, but this place wasn't a prison like I had originally assumed it would be. It felt rather like a haven to me now.

I was repulsed by the realization.

I checked the office silently only to find it empty. I almost wished that Jeff was talking in my ear. It would be better than this oppressive stillness.

I hurried up to the third floor, hoping I wouldn't have to look into Jeff's room. I entered Toby's room and groaned. His room was a disaster unlike any other. I sifted through dirty hoodies, scarves, and all manner of unmentionable trash for what felt like forever before throwing my hands into the air in defeat. There was no way I would be able to find the bear under all this junk. I left, hoping it was somewhere else.

Clockwork's room proved to be an easier task. It might be cluttered, but it wasn't anything compared to her boyfriend's. Charlie, however, wasn't there.

I knew what that meant, but I still dreaded what came next: Jeff's room.

As I turned the handle, I bit back all the anger and confusion I harbored for him. The room looked like it had last night. Everything was mussed, but not unpleasantly so. It had a lived-in feeling that the other rooms in the house had lacked for one reason or another. I hated to admit it, but I kind of liked it. I went through EJ's section slowly, postponing the inevitable search of Jeff's side of the room.

But I knew that I was being stupid. He wasn't here, so how could he hurt me? I started going over his side of the room. The fact that he had lived here a while was apparent in the personal odds and ends he had. A few little trinkets were scattered over his bedside table, and several pictures that looked like Sally had drawn them hung on the walls. I searched valiantly for Charlie, but couldn't find it anywhere. I couldn't find my knife either.  
I was just about to give up when I saw a worn brown ear peeking out from behind the bed. I tugged and, sure enough, Charlie popped out.

"Fucking _finally_!" I pumped my fists in the air victoriously as elation filled me at long last. Sally had better thank me once she got back her bear.

So excited was I that I almost missed the other thing I had pulled loose.

It was a small, beaten down photograph. I slowly picked it up and squinted at the tiny figures, nearly dropping the photo when I realized who they were. It was Jeff and his…brother, Liu. Before the fire, before Jeff had turned into a murderer, and before he had viciously killed his brother. Tears gathered at the corners of my eyes and threatened to fall as the past assaulted me with painful memories that I'd rather forget.

What really struck me was how genuinely happy Jeff looked in the photo. I remembered how much he had loved his brother, and how easily he had killed the boy in the end.

I closed my eyes, trying to remember if Jeff's brother had been there at the table with the rest of his dead family. I found that I couldn't place him among the faces, but I was still very sure he had died all the same.

I felt the air move around me and spun like a top to find Slenderman and Hoodie standing there, framed like a picture in the doorway. I wondered how long they'd been standing there. I looked back at the picture and decided it couldn't get any worse for me, so I might as well ask.

"Slender, why-"

Slendy cut me off smoothly. "I don't think Jeffrey would want those memories brought up again. Would you be so kind as to slip that back behind his bed?" I felt melancholy hang heavy in the air around us and sensed that I had touched on a sore subject once more. I did as I had been bidden and softly slipped the paper back into its solitary grave.

Slender left me there with the silent Hoodie. I looked up at him, hoping for answers.

He exhaled slowly before at last speaking. "Jeff has a dark past. You Jane, of all people, should know that."

I felt something well up inside me and recognized it as the ugly head of pity. Pity that was directed at Jeff. "I know his past Hoodie, I was part of it. What I want to know is what happened to him here!" I was pleading, but I had to understand even if I was going to just kill Jeff in the end.

Hoodie shook his head. "You need to ask Jeff that. Only he has the right to talk about it."

I nodded at last. Picking myself up off the floor, I whispered, "Do I even want to know?"

His laugh was bitter as he looked up at the ceiling. "No, you really don't."

The rest of the week followed a pattern. Everyday, I would drag myself out of bed and suffer through Jeff's morning torments. I would have the rest of the morning to myself until lunchtime rolled around and everyone started showing up after their killing. Most pastas stayed out until dinner but some, like Slender, were pretty time-efficient and returned in time to make lunch.

Dinner would be a nightmare, as Slendy had permanently set me beside Jeff, but I would persevere, always looking forward to the night.

Every night after the house was asleep, I would creep out of bed, descend to Jeff's room, and try to kill him.

Slenderman caught me every time. The fact that I tried the same tactic every night probably confirmed my insanity, but I was desperate. It wasn't until the last night of the week that I had finally gotten the spark of inspiration I needed to come up with a semi-decent plan.

I was chatting with Zero about nothing in particular after dinner. She was laughing at a joke Puppet had made and I was smirking at the furious look Painter had on his face when Jeff sat down beside me.

"How are you tonight, Jane?" I felt his arm slide around my shoulders and the violent shrugging off of it was more of a habit than actual repulsion from the contact.

"Fuck off, Jeff. I was having a wonderful chat with Zero and I'd rather not have you ruin it." I muttered to him.

Jeff cackled. "Why don't you tell me to fuck off a few more times, Jane? Maybe by doing it more than once in a row you'll get through to me." He slid his arm back around my shoulders. "Come on, try again."

I got up roughly, to much mirth from Jeff and everyone else present. "You know that sometimes you could at least try not to get on my nerves."

"You accuse me falsely!" he declared with a typically devilish grin.

I made a furious noise and left the den. As I climbed the stairs to my room I realized that I had been here a week and Jeff was still alive. It was a depressing thought.

That's when it finally hit me as Jeff's comment lodged itself in my brain and wouldn't go away. _Try it more than once in a row._

I knew how to kill Jeff.

I followed my typical pattern that night. I pretended I was asleep until Sally was, then I rose from bed and crept down to where Jeff was sound asleep. As I entered his room, I froze a moment to be sure he wasn't awake. His back was to me but his deep breaths hinted at sleep.

As always, I slipped over to his bedside table and grabbed the knife. I brought it up to stab him and, right on cue, Slenderman yanked the knife from my hand and pulled me from the room.

He seemed more tired than usual. Toby was yawning beside him. I grinned at him and he gave me a mock salute.

Slender sighed. "Jane, do we really have to go through this again?"

I bit my lip holding back a laugh. _If only you knew._ "Probably. It's not like I'm just going to stop."

Toby's chuckle fades into another yawn. "At least she's honest Slender."

Slender's blank face was exuding a powerful aura of _I'm so done with this shit._ "Jane, I am asking you to stop this insanity here. You will be able to go out and kill people very soon. I'm sure that someone who has the patience to do this every night can wait for just a short amount of time."

"Aren't you ever going to give up, Jane?" Toby asked, half joking. "Because I'm getting sick of waking up at midnight every night."

I gave an exaggerated sigh. "But that would be no fun, Toby! Everyone knows that attempted murder in the dead of night is a cliché too good to pass up."

"Enough!" Slender roared in my head. I covered my ears, like it would do any good. Toby winced slightly. "This is not some game, Jane." Slenderman continued more softly. "You need to learn to forgive Jeff. Otherwise, this will keep happening."

I shrugged and smiled at Toby. "Hey, I'm down for that. How long do you think it'll take for Masky to snap?"

Toby looked into the distance thoughtfully. "I'd say two more weeks."

Slender threw his hands in the air. "You're harder to deal with than Sally!"

He dropped me on the floor of my room and slammed the door behind me.

"Jane, what's going on?" Sally asked sleepily.

"Nothing." I muttered distractedly. "Go back to sleep, sweetie."

She struggled to sit up in bed. "Why do you leave the room every night, Jane? Masky said you're trying to kill Jeff. You wouldn't do that, would you?"

I winced at the question. "Sally, sweetie, Jeff was really terrible to me when we were younger." I said, hoping she would understand. "He deserves to die."

No such luck. "Jeff is a good person now. You can't kill him." The pleading in her voice made me feel like the bad guy. " _He_ hasn't tried to kill you since you got here, Jane. You need to give him a chance. He cares about you, why can't you do the same?"

At those words, my stubbornness solidified. "I don't know where you got that impression of Jeff, but he does _not_ care about me. All he wants to do is make my life miserable. How can you not see that?"

"Because it isn't true! He just doesn't know how to tell you he cares." Sally sounded close to tears.

I groaned. "This isn't a romance novel, Sally." When she only stared at me blankly, I sighed. "Does this look like a fairy tale? He's no more a prince charming than I am a princess." I put my head in my hands. "Sally, I _need_ to kill Jeff, That has been my primary goal in life since he killed my family."

"He didn't do it to hurt you, Jane. He killed his own family too. He's insane. He kills everyone without any malice behind it. He just wants to see the world burn." Sally sounded so grown up that I almost listened to her words. I almost agreed with what she said. But just like the rest of my life, it was only almost.

"And what's to stop him from stabbing me in the back?" I asked coldly,

Sally had no answer. She sat in silence for a minute or two before whispering, "Don't do it, Jane. You can be happy here. You don't have to kill Jeff just to be happy."

I ignored her little voice and turned my back to her. I listened as she lay back down and, despite her fears, was soon asleep.

"Yeah, I kind of do Sal." I whispered to the still figure.

With soft, careful steps, I grabbed my hoodie and threw it on. If I was going to kill Jeff, I wouldn't exactly be able to run back and get it. I walked down the hall, trying to take it all in. I knew this would be the last time I saw it; these stairs, this door...

With trembling fingers, I pushed Jeff's door open for the second time that night. I traced the well versed path to his bedside table and was just about to pick up his knife when I realized with a jolt he was staring at me.

My heart leapt to my throat and I froze, prayers tumbling soundlessly from my lips. Then I realized he wasn't awake. Even though his eyes were wide, all they saw was darkness. Just to check, I waved my fingers in front of his face. When Jeff didn't stir, I picked up his knife reverently and prepared to kill him.

And I couldn't.

I stood there with the power of death and sweet revenge in my hands at last, and I was failing to do anything but stand there.

I desperately scrabbled for the mental reserves of hatred I had for Jeff and found them empty. Void of anything but a weak annoyance that sputtered sickly in the depths of my mind.

I felt broken. _What the fuck is wrong with me? Just stab him already._ But I couldn't move a muscle.

The truth was, I didn't really want to kill Jeff anymore. Over the past week, I had drained away all that hatred and now the only thing left was a soft pity for him.

I shook my head to clear it and closed my eyes. Even if my heart was telling me I didn't hate Jeff anymore, my mind would never rest if he was alive. That had to still be true. I opened my eyes and plunged the knife down.

Jeff's hand flew up and grabbed the blade. It cut deeply into his palm, staining the sheets below with crimson liquid. He seemed to take no notice of his injury. He merely yanked the knife from my weakened grasp and gripped my arm with his free hand.

"Now Jane," he chided softly as he smoothly rose from his bed. "It's not nice to kill people in the middle of the night."

I tried to free myself, but it was a pointless struggle. I was terrified to make a sound because technically I was the one in the wrong here. I noticed with a start that he wasn't wearing his hoodie. I had always just assumed he never took it off. His thin cotton tee didn't leave much to the imagination.

He thankfully improved my state of mind by grabbing his hoodie and half putting it on. I tried to use this distraction to slip away, but no such luck. "Stop struggling sweetheart, it won't help your cause." Suddenly, the world turned upside down as Jeff slung me over his shoulder and carried me from his room. I started fighting in earnest now but he had my legs (and thankfully skirt) pinned so most of what I could do was beat on his back with my fists and claw at him with my nails.

Once we were in the hall however, I growled, "Put me down, you bastard."

Jeff's laugh hissed through his teeth. "Not likely, sunshine."

I ground my teeth together in outrage. "Don't call me that, Jeff. I hate you!"

"Admit it, you don't actually hate me." he whispered teasingly as he descended the stairs.

I opened my mouth to retort, then shut it again because sadly he was right. "That doesn't give you a right to just sling me over your shoulder."

"Save your breath. I'm not really listening yet." I watched the world turn right side up at last. Jeff set me down gently on the top step of the front porch. I watched as he finished putting his hoodie on and worried for a minute he was throwing me out until he took a seat beside me and fixed me with those terrible yet perfect eyes.

We sat there for a long moment, neither of us wanting to break the quiet.

At last, Jeff hissed, "We need to talk."

 **A/N: And cue the cliffhanger!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Well now, this is embarrassing... It's been a long time. Although in my defense our account wasn't working properly. Anyways, here is the fifth chapter. I will make an effort to post more regularly from now on but no promises. Enjoy!**

 **Jeff**

I stared at Jane, waiting for her to respond. Her hair was mussed from my unceremonious handling of her and she looked startled that I was still here. Perfect swirls of moonlight fell around her wrists and ankles like ghostly shackles that held her fast and kept her from running away from me. I wondered fleetingly if I had broken her like a child might break a fragile toy.

"Talk about what?" she asked at last, assuaging my fears that she would remain mute forever.

I stretched, then settled comfortably with my back against the railing. "About us."

The words hung in the still air for a second before Jane shattered them with "There is no us."

"I beg to differ." I whispered happily. "Every night that you tried to kill me, there became increasingly more us." I lifted my hand up to the blueish moonlight to examine the wounds she had left there. The cuts were deep, but not serious. I lowered my hand slightly in order to see Jane's shocked expression fully. It was glorious in its disbelief.

"You knew?" It was adorable how naïve she was. "You knew and you didn't stop me?"

I smirked. "Of course I knew, Jane. What kind of pitiful bastard do you take me for?" She muttered something I didn't catch. I could guess at what it was though. "I knew I was safe because," I reached a hand forward and casually flipped some of Jane's long black hair over her shoulder. "You would never kill me."

Her fierceness leapt from her like the cornered animal that she was. "What the fuck makes you think that I wouldn't have killed you any one of those nights this past week?"

I shrugged ever so slightly. "I guess I just know you, Jane. We _are_ an awful lot alike." Her shoulders relaxed imperceptibly. I knew, even if she didn't, that my words were having a relaxing effect on her.

"Then why don't I understand you?" she muttered.

"Maybe because I'm better at hiding. Maybe because you don't pick up on things as well." I take out my knife and clean it, just to do something with my hands. It gleams in the most captivating way imaginable, and soon Jane's eyes are riveted to it as well. Her defences melt like crayon under a hot sun. Once I feel she's as open as she's going to be, I hiss, "What is it you want to ask me, Jane?"

Still captivated by my blade, it takes a moment for her to answer. "Why does Sally think you care about me?"

I laughed, shaking my head in amazement. "Sally sure is a quick one, isn't she?"

Jane looked up into my face quickly. "That isn't an answer."

I leaned close to her and, staring hungrily into her beautiful dark eyes, whisper, "Yes, Jane I do care about you. Quite a lot in fact." Her shock was priceless. "What?" I asked innocently. "I thought you _knew!_ "

"I-I never-" I watched as she tried desperately to hold her supposed reality together with the few strands of belief she had left. "No, you don't!" she said wildly. "You tried to kill me!"

I settled back to my original spot and chuckled darkly. "That was before I knew who you were. I had no idea you were such a fierce, beautiful woman that night. In my position, how could I have cared at all for you that night?"

"Stop talking shit, Jeff." Jane begged desperately.

"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about." I gave a short bark of laughter.

"If you care about me so much then-then," She whipped her head around wildly as though asking the night what to say. "Tell me what happened here years ago that no one will explain!"

I felt the blood leave my face. _Why is she asking about-_

"Ha! See, you won't tell me!" Her vindictive attitude burned. "You _don't_ care after all." Her entire manner was one of childish obstanence.

I took a deep, shuddering breath. "I had been hoping to avoid that subject, but I suppose it can't be helped." Fear and old wounds that could never heal burned my skin.

"Wait, you're going to tell me?" she asked incredulously.

"You do want to know, right?" I raised my eyebrows challengingly.

She bit her lip and turned away. "Yeah, I kind of do. But only because you asked." she added quickly.

I nodded slowly. "I'm sure you've heard that I brought," I waved my fingers, trying to find the right words. "Someone else here."

She nodded curtly. "Everyone has been complimenting me on how I'm 'nothing like Jeff's last fuck up'."

My smile was dipped in bitterness. "Ah yes, that is certainly one way to put it." I was silent a moment longer, trying to put the tale together sensibly. "I'm sure you remember my brother, Liu." Another nod, this one more confused. "You remember how I killed him too, I'd imagine?"

Her patience wore thin. "Listen Jeff, I know this shit already. If this is the dark past everyone is talking about, then you might as well stop right there because I was there when you fucked everything up."

"There's more to the story than that. I bet the doctors never told you that you weren't the only one to survive that fire." Her shocked expression answered my question for me. "Yes, Liu survived as well."

"So you brought him here?" she asked.

"Hang on, I'm getting there." I stared off into the distance as I continued. "I found him much like I found you. I was out killing one night. I had already finished off two people but I wanted to get in just one more before going home for dinner. I broke into a house and found out that someone was already there." My smile stayed on my face, but it was no longer happiness that it radiated. "There he was. I recognized him at once of course, and Liu knew it was me. He simply stabbed the guy with his scalpel and walked over to me.

"I was so happy to have my brother back. I swore to myself that I wouldn't screw it up this time. I begged him to return to this house with me and he gave me his eager acquiescence. Slender and really everyone else was excited to welcome Liu. For a week, it was perfect. Liu was, as always, charming and I was so glad that he was alive. Of course, it couldn't last.

"One day when Slender was out, I had a terrible argument with the other pastas. I went up to my room, where my brother found me and asked me what was wrong. I told him that I hated the other pastas and said they were so mean and terrible to me."

"Were they?" Jane asked skeptically.

"No, not really. Anyway, I fell asleep only to be woken up by screaming coming from downstairs. I grabbed my knife and rushed to see what the trouble was only to find most of the pastas injured and Liu holding Sally by the shirt, about to kill the poor darling."

I watched as Jane's eyes widened in horror. "Yes, my brother had attacked them. None of them had expected an attack. They were trying to fight back, but he's strong. Inhumanly so. Of course, I pulled my knife and yelled for him to put Sally down. Liu laughed and said, 'But they were hurting you, Jeff'. I had no choice but to attack him." Heat burning behind my eyes warned me I was close to tears. I stood up and walked down the steps so Jane wouldn't witness my weakness. I didn't want her to think less of me than she already did.

"Did you kill him?" Jane whispered with bated breath. I realized that I had been quiet for some time. "Did you win?"

I barked with hard, bitter laughter. "No! Far from it. He nearly killed me. Liu drove me out the front door and was about to stab me when Slender showed up. He just waved his arms and Liu flew across the yard to the edge of the forest. Slender told him to leave. He did, but not until he swore to me that I would someday die by his hand." The pain I had been holding back for years chose that horrible moment to spill down both my cheeks as I cried, "Now you know, Jane! I'm even more despicable than you thought."

Her voice was soft like a butterfly. "No you aren't." Her words, however, weren't nearly enough to stop the torrent of tears.

I threw my head back and laughed through my sobs. "Oh really, Jane. Just look at me! Broken and heartless, willing to endanger the lives of everyone I know just because I think it'll turn out alright in the end." The moon illuminated each tear as they fell from my eyes. Its cold face drew a tormented howl from my lipless mouth. It shouldn't hurt this much, but it did.

I felt arms wrap around me and hold tightly to what little humanity I had left. "You aren't despicable for caring about your brother. You aren't despicable for wanting to give him another chance." I turned in Jane's arms to see her beautiful face was tear stained as well. "You're right Jeff, I don't hate you and I'm sorry for trying to kill you." I let my arms pull Jane tightly to me and I buried my tears in her thick, soft hair. Eventually, my tears fell no more and I felt like the weight of the world was lifted off my shoulders.

"Jane, are you sure you're feeling alright?" I asked, only half joking. "This seems a little extreme."

She released me immediately, a furious blush turning her pale cheeks a dark red. "I-I'm sorry Jeff I just-"

I cut her off with a finger to her lips. "Shh, sweetheart. Truce?" I asked hopefully.

Her head bobbed up and down.

"Wonderful. One more thing." I lifted her chin to look her in the eye. "Will you give me another chance? I would really like to prove that I'm not a heartless killer."

"I guess so, but can it wait until I've gotten some sleep?" she begged.

I consented. "Of course. Which reminds me, I have to get going. There's this guy I was stalking last night until I lost him. I need to make sure I kill him this time." I started to walk away into the forest.

"Wait!" Jane called frantically. "Will you give me my knife back first?"

"Nope." My words have the most evil smirk to them. "You can have it when I get back."

With that, I took off into the forest thinking, _If only she knew._

I stopped running a little ways into the forest just to make sure Jane went inside. I couldn't help but worry, even if it was a fear ungrounded in fact. Once I was sure she had gone in, I made my way to the boundaries at a more sedated pace. I had plenty to think about.

Namely, Jane. There was no point in not being honest with myself. I was in love and I had it bad. After my brother had betrayed me, I had thought my heart was so scorched and shriveled that nothing would touch me that deeply again, until Jane. I hoped that after what I had told her, she'd possibly fall for me too.

It was funny how quickly everything was changing.

For all intents and purposes, it was changing for the better. Everyone (myself included) loved Jane, and she didn't seem like the kind of girl to flip out and pull a Liu. I felt the border and asked the house if it would be so kind as to take me to my chosen victim. It eagerly did as it had been bidden, only pausing a moment to check the identity of the man against my mental record of him.

The house regurgitated me in a bright, sunny forest that was not at all to my taste. I darted through it carefully to avoid hitting any trees or branches in my haste. A loud chiming of a bell told me that it was three o'clock. I casually walked out of the forest and strolled down the street, careful not to look at anyone directly in the eye. I sat down on the edge of a fountain and pretended to be very intently looking at the screen of a smartphone I had…found a few days ago. On closer inspection, the casual observer would see that it wasn't on.

I waited there for at least two hours before I caught sight of the man. He was a tall, older gentleman that viewed everything around him with a suspicious eye and a slight frown. He never noticed me though. I rose and began the delicate game of following the old man. Usually someone his age wouldn't be worth the trouble, but he had evaded me once and I'd be damned if he did it again.

For someone of his age he was quick. I lost sight of him more than once, although that might have been because I had other things on my mind. Other places and other times. I snapped my mind back to the present once more, determined to keep it there. I trailed after the man into a grocery store and nonchalantly stayed one aisle over from him while pretending to be very interested in the sugar free kool-aid drink mixes. He left the store with some prune juice and a quarter pound of beef. I followed with a grin that was hidden behind my shaggy mane of coal black hair and my hood.

I tailed him through a liquor store where he purchased a half pint of scotch, and a leisurely stroll through a park that was mainly spent avoiding the suspicion in the beady black eyes the man swept his surroundings with constantly.

I ended up on the opposite side of the road from him, right where I wanted to be. I was safe here, at a good distance from those heartless old eyes.

I watched from across the street as he turned onto another road and walked down it until he reached a condo that had seen better decades, but still looked reasonably well kept. He mumbled something before producing the key and shuffling through his door and slamming it behind him. I waited there for a while before moving on like I didn't care.

I don't.

I looked into the windows of the houses I passed. Most of them were dark and empty-looking, but some had bright, enchanting lights emanating from them cheerily. I peered closer and saw a family happy and lively, eating together and laughing at the fucking weather because they had nothing better to do.

My lip curled in disgust. If you're relying on others to make you happy, it isn't real because it won't last. I knew how it went even if I hadn't experienced much. Someone leaves, the relationship ends, suicide, murder, growing apart, college, the list went on and on.

I felt like I had all that happiness shit covered. They always say fake it until you make it, and it seemed to be working pretty damn well for me.

Except for that business with Jane…

I retired to the back of the man's house at long last, ready to wait an age and a half for something interesting to happen. The world did not disappoint. Mere _hours_ later, a family walked from the garage I was hiding beside to one of the two back doors. _What a happy family_. Immediately, all thoughts of killing the old man vanished as I decided that this would be much more fun.

There were two children. The older boy was walking sedately to the door without responding to anything around him. His little blonde sister bounced around him, vigorously firing a million questions a minute at him nonstop.

"Are you going to be part of next year's concert, Jer? Will I get to come to that one too? Did you like the girl right in front of you because you were _staring_!" I felt my smile twitch but I kept perfectly still so as not to make a sound. _How artificial these people are._

Jer, I guess, snorted in annoyance, and I honestly didn't blame him in the slightest. "I won't let you come to next year's concert if you don't shut up, Allie."

Definitely more fun to kill these promising young children and their overly vivacious parents than an old man on his last legs. Besides, if they lived in the same house, the chances of the older man getting away was significantly smaller than these people. I fell out of my analytical state as my thoughts wandered to Jane once more. I wondered if it would be fun to hunt and kill with her. Then again, if she truly didn't hate me anymore, would she have any reason to keep up the senseless slaughter?

But even for someone with a mercurial nature such as hers, the bloodlust never leaves you. It gets ground in too deeply to remove.

Night fell soon enough for me to stomach, but not fast enough for me to stay alert. By the time the moonlight was illuminating my way, I was sluggish and drowsy. Too many nights with little to no sleep were at last catching up with me. Not that I didn't suffer from the frequent all nighter thanks to my rampant insomnia, but this was going on a week with no sleep and it was definitely showing.

Even so, my footfalls were inaudible as I circled the back of the house looking for an easy way in. However, my search proved to be futile and a waste of my time. The only other options I had would be to forcibly break a window or scale the side of the house in the hope there'd be an open window further up.

In the spirit of not waking the neighbors, I went with option two. With the agility of a cat, albeit a rather large one, I latched onto a drainpipe and shimmied up it. I silently leapt from it to the small roof over the side porch nearly falling off of it in my exhaustion. Thankfully I caught ahold of the window ledge and pulled myself through the open window only to land in a bathtub.

There was a soft thud that grated on my ears terribly after the prolonged silence. I sat there awkwardly for a few minutes knowing that, even if I had made noise, they wouldn't wake up. I at last got out of the tub and opened the bathroom door only to be met with two doors and a staircase.

 _Who wants to die first I wonder? Probably no one._ I sighed and picked a door at random. All I really possessed the energy to do was finish these people off and go home where I could promptly collapse into bed and sleep for a few hours. I opened the door, careful to mind old hinges that could squeal and give me up at any moment. A tired smile crossed my face. This never got old.

The boy Jer that had been outside lay sprawled on the bed. He vaguely reminded me of Ticci Toby which would only make killing him more fun. I had never really liked Toby after all…

I crept over to the bed with glee and stood over the sleeping form with no small amount of anticipation. I stared at him for three full minutes until he stirred and moaned softly before blearily opening his eyes.

"Allie?" He mumbled, still stupefied with sleep. "It's too late to be up. Go back to bed." His eyes widened as he realized all too late that I was not his pathetically shallow little sis. No I was _much_ worse. "Wha-" he started with fear in his big blue eyes.

My knife flicked out and was poised to strike before he could so much as finish his word. "Shhh Jer. Do us all a huge favor and just _go to sleep._ " I brought my knife down soundlessly and it cut through his collarbone like it was soft butter and pierced the bed on the other side. He opened his mouth in a silent scream that ended in gurgles. Blood streamed from his mouth as he struggled to breath but the effort was for naught. It was in silence that he died.

I walked from Jer's room and moved on to his sisters already eager to kill again. The smell of blood stained my throat and blotted all exhaustion from my brain. Her door flew open at my touch and I barely had the time to reach her bed before she awoke with a yawn.

"Mommy?" She asked in a sickly sweet voice that twisted its cruel hands around my mind.

"Hello little Allie, are you still tired?" I asked with a mad cackle. "I suggest you go back to sleep now." She opened her mouth to scream but I crushed her little voice with my hand as I slammed it into her windpipe. "Aww, don't scream Al or I'll cut out your tongue, we wouldn't want to wake mommy or daddy now would we? You know," I continued slowly running my tongue along my blade revelling in the taste of her brothers blood. "I've never cut someones tongue out before. Would you like to be the first?" She whimpered pitifully and trashed with what ounce of strength she had as I slowly crushed the life from her like one might crush a delicate butterfly. When I grew tired of this game I slit her throat softly and released her convulsing form with disgust. "You had no fight in you dear."

I descended the staircase, paying no heed the loud groaning it made. I was too high on this wonderful thing called murder to think about raising the dead with my bursts of mad laughter or some trivial creaky stair sounds.

The lights below were blaring, cutting though the night like my knife cut through skin. A woman clad in a baby blue dressing gown hurried into the hall to see who it was. I grinned and bowed. "Greetings mamm. I went to the liberty of silencing your children for you. I do _hope_ you don't mind." My mirth chopped the false politeness to pieces as I lunged for her with my trademark grin plastered to my face. Instead of just stabbing her I caught her around the neck and held her still with my knife.

"Oh father, would you like to watch me cut mommy's heart out?" As the man I had seen before entered the hall at a panicked run I flicked my knife from the woman's throat and plunged it into her heart from the back. The blade appeared on the other side. Blood began to spurt out of her chest as I sawed out a heart shape then impaled the fleshy cut-out on my knife. I thrust her from me and the shape was pulled from her body with a sickening _slurp_.

"Do you want some?" I asked the frozen man as I walked forward slowly still holding the chunk of the woman on my knife. "No?" I asked tilting my head to the side in my best impression of a sad puppy. I kind of sucked at it.

"G-get away from me you monster!" The guy yelled in horror as he stumbled back from me and the chunk of his dead wife.

"Just so you are aware," I hiss in excitement. "I'm not in a habit of leaving survivors." I flung the meat block off my knife and threw it blade first at the man's face in the same move. It stuck fast in his forehead. The man's eyes rolled up into his skull as he fell backwards and landed with a thud on the floor.

Perfect. Four lives ended in less than fifteen minutes. That might not have been any sort of record but it was making good time. I walked to the man's fallen corpse and yanked my knife from his skull delighting it the thick _schnick_ it made. I went to lick it then decided to wait till I had killed the last person that lived in this establishment.

As I had hoped there was a door that connected the two homes. I kicked the door open with a cackle and stalked through his side of the house crooning, "Come out come out wherever you are! I have a gift for you. Do you want to guess what it is?" I ducked into the kitchen yelling, "It's a knife to your fucking face! Don't worry you don't need to thank me."

"Thank's anyway!" A vindictive voice behind me muttered. The sound of a gun bolt being locked back made me spin on my heels. I was staring into the barrel of a pistol. Behind that stood the old man with a grim expression on his face. With firm resolve he pulled the trigger. "Payback you bastard!"

 _Bang!_

I felt the bullet as it pierced my right shoulder and lodged itself under the joint. I screamed with pain and clutched at the wound with my left hand. My vision went red as I switched my knife to my good hand and charged.

 _Bang!_

This one hit my side just missing my left kidney. As my sight blurred I fell to the floor at the feet of the old man. I had just enough presence of mind to throw the arm that held my knife out from under me so I didn't impale myself. I heard his heavy footsteps near my head and knew he was standing above me. I felt true fear course through me as I realized he was about to finish what he had started and kill me.

"Unlike you, I leave survivors." His deep rumble of mirth almost scared me more than his gun. "No, you're going somewhere worse than death." He knelt beside and dragged my head up by my lank hair so I could look him in the eyes. "They're gonna lock you up in the mad house. No one lasts long once they go there." He released my hair and my forehead smacked back onto the cold tile floor.

His deep throated laugh was the last thing I heard before blacking out.

 **A/N: I have this idea for a new story. It would be Clockwork x Ticci Toby with a few chapters of Sally talking to the reader. If you want me start that story or just focus on A Killer's Love, leave a comment! Thanks!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: and you all thought I'd forgotten...**  
 **Here it is! Chapter seven. Unbetaed and _really_ long. I just kept going and going... Don't worry, no cliff hangers this time!**  
 **Only answers. Enjoy!**

 **Jeff**

The scene was all to familiar to my eyes for I had seen it many times before. The heavy copper smell of blood, the icy fingers of shock and silver plated pain permeated the night, almost as hard on the senses as Sally's sobs were to the ears. I was still sprawled on the ground where Lui had left me, half angry half heartbroken at his, all too sudden, betrayal. How could he? He is my brother…

From where I was crouched I could see Toby twitching spasmodically, nervous as all hell. Smile dog crouched next to him, softly growling as he stared at me. I slowly turned to see LJ standing on the porch as far away from the door as possible, trying to staunch the flow of black and white blood that streamed down his arm. Masky leaned against the wall by the open door staring at me. EJ held Sally in his arms trying to silent her wails. Next to him was Ben, eyes dripping black goo and accusations. Bluish code leaked from a gash on his forehead. Slenderman only stood there, presence stormy yet completely silent, for now. Then, "Jeffrey, what. Did. You. Do?" This time. His unspoken end of the question.

I wanted to swear at Slender. I wanted to tell him to fucking leave me alone but I didn't have the strength to do more than hold back the tears that were threatening to make their unwanted appearance. As the silence lengthened I felt increasingly more despondent. Just as I was about to break down completely Hoodie spoke softly from his perch on the railing.

"Liu flipped on us Slender." His voice was soft and flat as usual. No condemnation tainted it but there was no pity in it either. "He tried to kill us all."

"And why, pray tell, did he?" Slender was on the verge of rage. A very uncommon sight to everyone present. Then again, this entire night was shaping up to be one hell of an unusual nightmare. The poisoned silence, that always shows up when no one really knew the answer, or wanted to be the one to address the question in the first place, prevailed. Even Hoodie was at a loss for words.

"Because he was protecting Jeff." Sally whispered through still falling tears. "He thought we were hurting him." EJ whispered something in her ear and she fell silent once more.

She was right, of course. Liu had thought that I wanted my friends dead and had eagerly carried out his version of revenge on them without a second thought.

What had I been thinking when I told my overprotective brother that crap about the other Pastas hurting me? I should have been thinking, but apparently, that wasn't really a strong suit of mine.

"Is everyone still alive?" Slenderman asked at last. His proxies all scanned the surroundings and nodded in unison. "There are injuries." He continued. "I will send for Nurse Ann to help patch up all the damage Jeffrey's mess has caused." Slender strode through the clearing to the door, only stopping by me for a second to send a mental message. In my office as soon as you get your feet under you.

Then he vanished into the dark house with Hoodie following close behind him. EJ set Sally down gently. Ben reached forward and brushed her head with his hand in comfort. Sally turned and gave me a heartbroken glance that I failed to meet before she meekly went back inside as well.

I looked over to Smile but he only snarled at me and took off into the forest. I couldn't really blame him. I got to my feet at last and tried to follow Sally only to be stopped by-

"What the hell we you thinking when you brought a fucking psycho into this house?" Masky roared at me in utter fury.

"Yeah Jeff, it would have been much more efficient to bring several." Even injured, Ben was still a cocky little shit.

"I really never did trust you Jeff. I'm honestly wondering if you did this on purpose." Masky's hiss cut cruelly into me.

Ticci Toby moved to Masky giving him, what was probably, an imploring look. "Come on Masky, lay off of him. He was just nearly ki-"

"I will not lay off! We were all nearly murdered!" Masky was livid with me, and for good reason.

I sighed in resignation. "Look, I'm sorry. I never meant to-"

Masky laughed bitterly. "It's a little late for sorrys Jeff. What the fuck were you thinking when you told your brother you wanted us dead?"

I felt my anger boil up at his words. "How was I supposed to know he was going to go bat shit crazy?"

"You're a shitty excuse for a brother if you can't tell when he has a screw loose." Ben muttered mutinously.

"Ben, shut the hell up." I growled. I was so close to snapping and crying but no one seemed to care.

"Leave him alone Jeff. I don't recall him doing anything wrong." Snarled Masky.

Ticci bravely tried again. "Masky, stop."

"No! I will not. Fucking. Stop!" Masky got in my face so I couldn't look away. "We never did anything to him. I was playing with Sally when he attacked me." Masky turned so his back was to me. "Look what that son of a bitch you call your brother did to me." Masky's jacket and shirt were torn and stained red with blood. I felt my knees go weak as I realized just how close my adopted family had come to being killed. "If I hadn't leaned over the second I did, that cut would have gotten my spinal cord."

"I'm sorry Masky." I whispered.

Masky spun back around. "You just don't get it, do you Jeff. This isn't going to go away just because you're apologizing."

EJ stepped in front of me preventing Masky from raging on me any longer. "That's enough. He already feels like shit so leave him alone." He gave Ben a pointed look. "You too."

"Fuck this. I'm leaving." Ben shot me one last death glare before rudely shoving past me and vanishing into the tree line.

Masky snorted in disgust and disappeared into the house. Toby gave me one last look before following him.

LJ, who had been silent for this whole time, smiled sadly. "Just don't do it again Jeff." He was gone as well.

I sagged against the side of the house, exhausted beyond belief. "Thanks Jack, sorry for-"

EJ held up a hand silencing his apology. "Can it, Jeff. You're still in deep, deep shit. All I did was postpone the inevitable." He wasn't wearing his mask so I could see how the corners of his mouth turned down and how his brow furrowed slightly, though if in worry or sadness I could not tell.

I wished desperately I could stand here forever just staring into the dusk, but I had been summoned by Slender and only a fool would ignore that appointment.

Regretfully I pushed off the wall and moved through the door. As I passed, I felt EJ's fingers brush my shoulder in sympathy. That one action meant the world to me.

The house was trapped in an uneasy silence that was fraught with unspoken resentment and regret. I ran a hand along the wall as I stumbled to Slender's office. I wasn't quite sure what I was hoping to find. Did I think I would just stumble across a secret door?

Maybe I was just looking for a way out.

For the first time ever, the door swung in without me touching the handle. Normally I would have commented on the fact that the house was getting smarter or possibly asked who the new ghost was but tonight I was in no mood to make sarcastic witticisms.

"Jeffrey, Jeffrey, Jeffrey, what have you done?" Slender was sitting in his chair with its high back facing me. From where I stood, I could only see the tentacles that shot from Slender's back. They waved almost imperceptibly as if caught be invisible currents. I opened my mouth, not sure how to respond but Slendy cut me off with, "I hope you realize what an," He paused gently. "inconvenience you have caused me."

I looked down and mumbled, "Sorry Sle-"

"ENOUGH apologizing." Slender slowly spun to face me. "As Masky might have mentioned, sorry isn't going to help you now." He folded his hands before him and gave a sigh of longsuffering. "I feel we are putting to much of the blame on your shoulders Jeffrey, I will be the first to admit that, but it is, to some degree, still your fault." When I said nothing he continued. "I should never have let Liu stay here. Reflectively his relation to you probably clouded my judgement."

I was amazed at this uncharacteristic admission of guilt from Slender. He was never one to regret his decisions. He usually took the good and the bad his choices caused and coped. And yet, here he was saying, well not sorry but at least he was admitting, 'I missed the mark this time'.

"Yet still I can not in good conscience just let you go free. You were the one who brought him here after all." I nodded. "Why did you bring Liu here, Jeffrey?"

Hoodie cleared his throat and my gaze was instantly riveted on him. He had been standing beside the window behind Slender's desk but now he moved forward and said quietly. "Liu was Jeff's brother."

Slender nodded and turned back to me. "But you killed Liu. Why did you not kill him again when you discovered that you had not actually snuffed out his life the first time?"

"How could I when he was now like me?" My voice was scratchy from neglect. "I might have killed him but I loved him all the same."

"I see." Slender thought for a moment before asking, "Did you know that your brother was going to-"

I unwisely cut Slender off indignantly. "How could I have?"

Slender's disapproval was silent but deadly. I cringed under his sightless gaze. "He was your brother. You should know what he is going to do." Slender's words burned. "How did your brother feel about you?"

I knew this. "He was very protective of me Slender."

"Then you should have known that when informing him of the supposed cruelty of the other pastas he would inevitably leap to protect you."

"I didn't think he would be that extreme!" I insisted.

"Hmm." Slender mused. "What did everyone say to Jeffrey that got him in such a tizzy?" The question was directed at Hoodie.

Hoodie opted to clear his throat to mask his laughter. "Masky accused Jeff of having an," Another cough. "overly intimate relationship with his brother. Needless to say, Jeff did not react well to the joke."

It might have been my imagination but I could have sworn Slenderman laughed. "Well, Masky has never been known for his tact. I will speak to him of this serious overstepping of the line. There is, after all, only so much one can bear before they inevitably snap." Slender might have been smiling if he had a mouth. "All this aside I should never have let someone as unstable as Liu into this house."

"With all due respect Slender, everyone here is unstable." I muttered.

"That may be but your brother was an entirely different category of crazy." Slenderman spun in his chair once more so his back was to me. "The rest of you might be unstable but you are the right kind. You are, without fail, predictably unpredictable. To a normal person you might appear random and unpatterned but to the careful observer such as I, you never deviate from your set behavioral patterns. Your brother on the other hand is unpredictably unpredictable. I have no way of knowing what he is going to do. He might appear completely normal one moment and then stab you in the back the next."

I was confused. "But can't you read people's thoughts?"

Another noise that might have been mistaken for a chuckle. "Yes but that does nothing for me in this case. In fact it only aided in obscuring the truth of your brothers mind. Most people change their minds slowly but your brother's mood and feelings changed every other minute. He was dangerous."

I knew he was right and that wasn't making this any easier. I had known in a way that Liu was unreadable but that hadn't stopped me from believing whatever the hell I wanted about what he was thinking. It had made it easy to bring him here.

And just look where my thoughtlessness had got us all.

"While you are here I would like to discuss an unspoken rule that I never thought was necessary to actually verbalize. I am the only one who can bring people here. I don't care who you find next Jeffrey, you are not to bring them here. Ever."

I felt objections rise in my throat. "But Slender, this is supposed to be a safe haven. We should be able to bring people here if we think they need to be here."

"Look what happened this time Jeffrey I can not let this happen again. From here on out please let me do the inviting and you can just stick to the killing."

I nodded humiliation plain on my face. "Yes Slenderman."

"Wonderful." Slender rose and walked out from behind his desk until he towered over me. "Now, I would like you to return to your room and I would hope to god no one decides to kill you before you reach it." His face began to melt away.

At last the terrible dream faded into a misty forest. I peered through the gaps in the trees wondering what this new dream held in store for me. As if on cue a figure appeared in the distance and started to walk towards me.

It was Jane.

In my dream she was almost as perfect as she was in real life. Her hair blew around her face and she smiled at the sight of me. She picked up the pace and, once she reached me, threw her arms tightly around my chest. She felt so soft and wonderful that I started to wish this was real.

"Jeff, why did you let them catch you?" She asked softly.

I brushed the top of dream Jane's head with my lips. "I didn't mean to Sunshine. Do you think I like getting caught?"

Her laugh sounded like the breeze. "No I don't suppose you do but how could you possible let them shoot you twice without having the good sense to die?"

I looked into her mischievous eyes with a smile. "You sound eager for that to happen."

She stood on tiptoe and brushed my mouth with her full lips in a soft kiss. "Don't be ridiculous Jeff. You can't die just yet. You still have my knife."

I laughed loudly. "I don't!"

"Liar." Her pout faded into worry. "Just promise me that you're going to come back alive, okay?"

I grinned. "I can't promise I'll still be in one unharmed piece but I will survive. As a favor to you."

"Thanks ever so much." She said sarcastically then she looked over my shoulder and she nodded in understanding. "I have to go Jeff."

I reluctantly let her go as my arms were pulled behind me by some unseen force. "Do you know where the bastards put my knife?"

She laughed as she started back into the forest. "It's in the unlocked case at the front of the holding area. Don't let the guards get to you. They're actually scared shitless."

Even as she vanished I laughed. "I tend to have that effect of people."

As the scene was replaced by blinding white lights I heard Jane whisper. "See you soon Jeff."

"Jesus did you say thirteen people?" The unseen person sounded impressed.

"Josh, I said, that was just this last week." A second voice answered.

As my vision slowly swam back into focus I was careful not to alert the guards of my consciousness. I was sitting on a hard bench in what felt like a moving vehicle. My hands were cuffed behind me but I knew that wouldn't pose much of a problem. I became increasingly more aware of the sharp, throbbing pain coming from my side and shoulder. Fuck, that bastard's gun had really packed a wallop.

"This monster has killed around three hundred people all told." Chimed in a third voice from beside me.

"No way." Countered Josh. "It's only 18 years old."

"It's a he and he's insane." Said voice two. "I wouldn't put it past him."

"Come on Steve! You can't believe all the rumors you hear." Josh said in an exasperated tone.

Voice three spoke up. "This isn't just rumor. There's been a country wide warrant out for this guy for years. The deaths have only kept piling up."

"Then why isn't he getting the death penalty?" Josh asked incredulously. "You know we have it, why don't we use it?"

Silence reigned for a while as these three idiots tried to wrap their simple minds around the question.

Finally the person next to me spoke. "They said that he was going to be used for human experiments instead."

"That's all well and good Chris but isn't there, like, a law that says the criminal has to give his consent first?" Josh sounded worried. I honestly didn't blame him because I was worried too. Human experiments?

"And while we're on the subject, shouldn't he have had a trial first? They didn't even give us the time to get the fucking bullets out of him before the call came to take him to the crazy house." Alarm was heavy on Steve's voice as he spoke. "This is directly violating several laws and rights this guy has."

Chris sighed. "Calm down Steve. We aren't here to pass judgement on what our superiors are doing, we're just here to do our job and get paid."

"But-"

"Look," Chris said frankly. "Do you really want a crazy like him on the streets? At least this way he won't kill any more innocent families."

"Yeah." Josh agreed. "I talked to one of the guys that was moving the bodies to the lab after he was through with them." I could taste Josh's shiver as it wracked his spine. "Believe me, if anyone deserves to be locked up without a trial, it's this son of a bitch."

Slowly I raised my head. "Is that so?" behind me I started to work the handcuffs off my wrists. "I had no idea!"

Josh, who sat diagonal from me, lept about a mile. "Holy shit, he's awake?"

Chris and Steve laughed at their colleague's misfortune. "Come on Josh, he's cuffed! Don't be such a big baby." Steve managed.

I widened my grizzly grin to it's fullest extent. "You have every right to be scared shitless Josh. I won't hold that against you when I kill you."

Chris stopped laughing and adopted a more serious tone. "Hey you, those cuffs aren't going anywhere. Besides, you can't take all three of us with a busted shoulder and a torn up side."

I slowly turned my gaze on Chris. He visibly gulped. "Oh really. Are you sure about that?" I gave a little shrug that hurt like hell. "Because I don't think you guys would pose much of a challenge for me even with these cuffs on."

"Cut the bull shit. You don't have your knife, we do. We also happen to have guns." Josh tried for a scary expression but I could see his knees knock together.

I gave a noncommittal shrug as I surreptitiously fiddled with the cuffs. Just as planned Chris turned to me and yanked my arms up to check the cuffs again. It gave me a great view of his holster and, just as I had hoped, emergency knife tucked into a small reinforced pocket of his pants. Even better I saw the key ring on his belt. Master key, master key, where could you- Aha!

Satisfied that I was indeed secure, Chris silently settled back down.

I played little Mr. Innocent as best I could.

"So," I began casually. "Where am I going?" I really did want to know that much.

Steve shifted uncomfortably. "The institution."

"For?" I prompted as I slowly reached for the master key careful not to draw attention to my actions.

"The mentally unstable." Chris finished. "Best in the country for any crazy person, be they harmless or criminal." My hand brushed his side as the truck lurched to a stop. I cursed under my breath. That had been too close.

"They also do human experiments on death row criminals." Josh added without so much as glancing at my hands. "One of the only places who is still licensed to do so."

A wash of cold water raced down my spine and I froze."I never gave consent for anything."

Chris snorted. "Nobody gives two shits about you. No one is going to come demanding you be given a fair trial because no one wants to deal with a suicidal maniac like you."

I gave an indignant cough to mask the jingle the key made as I freed it from its ring. "I always take great care not to get myself killed."

"Didn't seem to stop you this time." Josh whispered.

"I think the better way of classifying it would be the unwillingness to lose." The key turned in the lock and I was free. I reached my good hand down and grasped Chris' knife sharply drawing it out from its confines. In the same move I plunged it into his side right under the body armor.

"Gha! You son of a-" I silenced his yells by slicing his virtually unprotected neck before lunging for Steve. He was dead a second later in much the same fashion as his partner.

"Don't move or I shoot." The quavering voice of Josh came from behind me. I turned slowly hands in the air. My hoodie was stained in blood and my grin was as wide as ever.

"Drop the knife." He warbled. "Now!" It was a shrill screech.

I did as I had been bid. Josh smartly kicked the knife away from me. "Now get down on the ground with your ha-"

Right when he least expected it I kicked up hard and fast. Josh's gun flew from his hands as my foot connected with it. I silently thanked EJ. It had been a struggle just to get him to admit he could kick that high. It had been even harder to learn to do it, but even if this was the only time I used the move, it had been worth those painful hours spent in the attic knocking things out of EJ's grasp.

I advanced on the poor boy laughing maniacally. I surged forward and pinned him to the ground. As I sat on him I reached for the case that Jane had said held my knife. Sure enough there lay my precious blade.

"You know Josh, you're actually lucky." I slowly moved my knife from the case so it hovered over the quivering officer. "Most people have to suffer through life. They scramble and push until they have something to be proud of, they get married have kids grow old and crippled and all for what? Nothing. Half the time they don't even get that much. So many people live in the dirt and yet they still are alive. They still strive for something more. Everyone dies eventually and god knows that you can't take it all with you. Why does humanity bother living at all?"

From under my crushing knees Josh squeaked. "Because we love life. We have hope and you don't."

A crazed fire entered my blood and I threw my head back and laughed. "Hope is for people to shallow to handle reality. Death will always find you." I looked back down at him and my face softened imperceptibly. "The trick is to find it first and make it your slave."

Josh whimpered and tears fell from his eyes as he closed them. "That's right Josh. Just close you eyes and go to sleep. I'm here to fucking save you from yourself."

Thunk!

I slowly rose from the kid's bloodied corpse a distant look in my eyes. I really was doing these people a favor. The least they could do was be properly thankful. The crackle of a walky talky brought me back to my senses.

"Steve, report. Over." The static filled the room as I searched Chris' body for the key to the van's locked metal door. It was not on the keyring.

"Steve, kindly give us some indication that you're still breathing. Over."

I ignored Crackly as I began to search Steve. I was briefly tempted to answer back but discarded the thought as another stupid idea of mine. I needed to get out of here alive. I found another set of keys and began trying them.

"Steve! Report godammit! Over."

"Fuck you." I muttered under my breath. No luck again.

"Steve if you do not fucking answer we will flood the chamber with a knock-out agent! Over."

I cursed under my breath as I rushed to Josh's fallen body and, yes, found the key.

Please remain calm and breath deeply. A vaguely feminine voice intoned.

As the sleep gas flooded the trucks bay, I only had time for one thought.

Fuck. Not again.

Bloooooop

Pain.

It was the only thing I could register. My vision was still dark. Some small part of my mind that wasn't focused on the multiple sharp implements digging their way into my shoulder wondered if whoever was digging the bullet out of my collar had put a sleep mask on me so I couldn't watch them as they worked. Machines whirred and buzzed in all directions and the steady beep beep beep of the heart monitor was clearly distinguishable over the cacophony in my head.

While coaxingly pushing the pain out from my thoughts, I took into account my situation. Namely the bonds that were holding me fast. They felt leathery and tight against my skin. I would have struggled but the scalpel that was dangerously close to a major artery stopped me.

As I felt them touch the bullet and accidentally push it deeper I mused on my predicament. I was somewhere unknown but the terrible smell of antiseptic that drew back memories of the last time I had been in a hospital was hinting at doctors and bright white walls. I was restrained so whoever was in charge knew what I was capable of. The echo of voices meant I was probably in a crowded room with all eyes centered on me. Just great.

A soft female voice drew my attention. "Get out of the way Roberts. You're only making it worse."

One scalpel was removed only to be replaced by another, much more skilled, one. Moments later I felt the bullet leave my flesh and heard its plink as it was dropped into a glass jar.

"Well done Miz Ranson." This voice was soft and male. Something tugged at my memory but I chose to ignore its soft pressure. I didn't need the unnecessary thoughts cluttering my mind right now.

Suddenly a lightning stab of pain from my side completely destroyed all covalent thoughts I possessed. My heart raced as I fought to hold back a groan of agony. I usually wasn't this receptive to pain but then, usually I hadn't been shot twice.

The female doctor sounded worried as she said, "His heart rate is increasing doctor. I think the sedatives and anesthetics are wearing off. We shouldn't continue the surgery until his heart rate goes back to normal and he has been administered more-"

The cool male cut her panic off abruptly. "Did I ask for your opinion Ranson? You will continue with the surgery and if he happens to feel it, well, that's his problem."

I went against my previous decision and focused on the man's voice determined not to make a sound. I fucking knew that voice! Maybe it had been a while but it was so goddamned familiar that I should know exactly who it was.

Beeping sounds from the monitors got faster as the pain from the woman's blade cut into my side, ever searching for the elusive bullet. I couldn't help but writhe from the pain which of course only deepened the incision. I felt her blade pull away.

"Doctor, I mean it. I can't operate on the patient if he keeps squirming." Relief came hot and fast as my heart rate started to go down. No more, please.

"Shut up Amy! I know what is best!" The doctor yelled. My stomach dropped once more as anger flowed from my brain. This doctor clearly wanted to make this process as painful as possible for me, but why? What had I ever done?

Well, you know besides killing hundreds of people in cold blood.

That really did put a huge fucking damper on my relationships with other people now that I think about it.

"I will not repeat myself Ranson." His cold voice was already back to its soft lilting pitch that rose the hairs on my neck.

The girl's voice was tight and forced as she said, "Very well Doctor."

Chilled hands touched my face as the scalpel re-entered my flesh. Long graceful fingers with long sharp nails trailed up my jawline. A diggit casually probed the cuts of my smile and with childish curiosity the rest traced it, nails digging in and leaving long scratches that burned.

The hand at last reached my eyes and the mask was pulled off, revealing the creator of my torment. He was tall thin and heavily illuminated by the high power lamps surrounding the surgical table. They cast his face into deep shadows that wavered over his face like water.

He wore a long white coat that looked so cliched it wasn't even funny. His hair was covered by a surgical cap and his mouth and nose were hidden by a mask. A striped scarf was tucked beneath the lab coat, a single personal touch to the doctors outfit,

His eyes caught mine and held them. I noticed their dark striking green at once as it reminded me of how vividly my eyes used to shine. The richer undertones of tender hatred curled up from their depths.

"Jeffrey Woods." His voice dripped and flowed around me easing the pain somehow but also making it worse as well. "Age: Eighteen. Serial killer," He looked over his clipboard at me. "Criminally insane."

I gave a painful grin, determined not to give in just yet. "It will be my pleasure to kill you." I looked to where the girl was hard at work fishing a bullet out of my side.

Amy glanced over at my face and shivered. "Stop staring at me."

I laughed through the agony. It was shrill and grating but it was a laugh all the same. "That's all I can do my dear."

"Curious." It came from one of the many doctors in the room around me. "Would you care to elaborate on that?"

"Sure thing!" I feigned enthusiasm much to the alarm of all gathered. "You see, when I was young I decided it would be a good idea to get myself burnt to an extra crispy Jeff then I finished up my new look by burning my fucking eyelids off and cutting a smile into my face so I would always be happy!" The sounds of pencils scribbling away at clipboards filled the air.

"Is it true you killed your family?" Another man asked.

Forced grin plastered to my face I answered. "Why yes I did. It was a grisly affair and the police should be thankful I went to the trouble of burning it to the ground so they'd be spared the clean up."

Hands were now raised in the air as if these trained doctors and psychologists we little children in school waiting to be called on.

The doctor behind me gestured for them to speak.

"Can you feel pain?"

"Do you kill because it's fun or because you need to?"

"Were you abused as a child?"

I listened to their questions as I gazed at Amy. "You know, it would be amusing to kill you." I mused aloud.

Amy cast another fearful glance at me. "Put his eye mask back on. I can't finish this surgery with those eyes watching me."

The doctor chuckled mirthlessly and, with those delicate fingers, slipped the eye mask back on me. Once darkness claimed my vision once more the pain grew in intensity. I held still knowing it was almost over.

Plink. The second bullet was dropped into the glass jar. Practiced fingers stitched up the wound then Amy's soft voice whispered, "Done, Sir."

"Excellent." He purred. "You can sedate him now. After all, the surgery's over."

Amy cleared her throat. "I'm not sure that makes sense Sir but okay."

I barely registered the prick of the needle as unseen hands administered the sedatives. I was just thankful to be free of the unbearable agony at last.

"Sweet dreams, Jeffrey." Whispered the doctor.

So familiar...

Cold white walls. Padded and patchy like the floor I rested on.

My head pounded as I regained consciousness once more. My arms were restrained by what I guessed was a straight jacket. A padded plastic mask covered my eyes keeping me from seeing what was around me. I figured that, if I wanted to, I could get off the floor and stumble around blindly until I hit something but my bones refused to comply with the idea. Different parts of my mind mutinied against others, keeping me still.

As I sat there, sprawled against a wall, I felt something dark and ravenous build inside of me. It ripped at my insides viciously, pulling out the plugs of my mind as it flailed and ate away at my reality. It barreled through most everything but it left one terrible feeling accompanied by one beautiful thought. A single name.

As the hollow loneliness consumed me that perfect name escaped my lipless mouth.

"Jane…" It escaped as a breathy moan that took flight from me like a butterfly. It flew around the room before at last dissipating into nothingness. I wished it would come back and bring the real Jane with it, sadly it did not comply to my hope.

"So, our dear little killer is awake." It was that doctor's voice and it seemed to emanate from all around me leading me to believe it was coming from some sort of speaker and not from a present being.

"What do you want from me." I pushed the words through clenched teeth. I searched around even though I had a mask on. The man's voice was so familiar that is infuriated me.

"I could ask the same of you Jeffrey. After all I'm the one running the analysis on you." His voice came out a choked laugh, as though some old injury pained him.

I couldn't help but let out an infuriated, "I know you!" Immediately I wanted to take those words back. I should never have let on that I knew him but it was too late now.

"I know you too Jeffrey. Why do you think you ended up here?" His voice was a dangerous silk, softly slipping over my skin and making me shiver.

"Because I'm a psycho?" I asked with the smallest touch of fear. Dammit my fearlessness was making me careless. It's probably not a good idea to piss off your captors.

"Ha! You've always had a loose tongue haven't you Jeff." His voice was laced with humor I failed to find funny.

"And how the fuck would you know that?" I lashed out in anger. "You only just met me."

"Oh but that is where you are wrong." The doctor cooed. "I've been tracking you for a long time although I must admit, it was pure chance that we caught you. If you had tried to kill anyone else you would have succeeded. If any other task force had caught you, you would have ended up in prison. And yet." He paused for added effect. "Fate brought you to me."

"Fuck fate." I muttered. Then louder, "Where am I?"

"In a padded cell Jeffrey dear!" He sing-songed. "Don't ask silly questions."

Grinding my teeth together I tried to dislodge the eye mask but to no avail. The doctor's laughter informed my I looked like an idiot.

"You know Jeff, I always knew you would end up like this. Like a mouse in a maze." His voice sounded distant as if he was drifting off into his memories.

I felt frustration build up in my veins but I had no release. "What do you want from me?" I screamed, trying to ignore the pressure in my head.

"Why to perform tests on you of course." He laughed in much the same way I always did but for the hitch at the end.

Liar. I hate liars! I hate all this falseness and shiny veneer. I couldn't hold the torrent of rage anymore. I screamed bloody murder at the walls of my cell. I yelled all manner of threats and curses at the doctor letting all my built up frustration and fear and confusion out at once. Eventually my throat gave out and I was left to weeze weakly.

A slow rumbling laugh echoed from all around me. "Poor poor Jeff. All alone, abandoned and forgotten. I wouldn't be so worried Jeff!" Excitement built in his words. "I'm here for you! I'm here to save you from yourself. From this terrible world we both so desperately despise. No one but I can truly stave off the endless hunger the world leaves us and I'm going to protect you from it too." His mirth died away leaving only silence.

I opened my mouth to speak but my vocal cords protested violently and I gave up in favor of hacking painfully.

"Shh…. Don't speak Jeffrey, don't waste your words on me. I'm not your enemy. I am only your friend."

"Liar." I managed to hack. "I'm so fucking fed up with your lies!" I subsided into more painful coughing. It wasn't as painful as it should have been…

"How long have I been here?" I whispered.

I could almost see his twisted smile. "You've been out for a week thanks to Dr. Ranson's repetitive administration of sedatives into your bloodstream. You were only moved to this room last night."

I told Jane I would be back in the morning. She must hate me for lying. Then, an even scarier thought struck What if they think I'm dead. I felt panic well up inside of me but I quelled it at once. I wasn't dead so I could still escape. I wasn't sure how but that could come later.

"Who are you?" I rasped at the disembodied voice of the doctor. "You sound so familiar."

"As well I should Jeffrey." He replied softly.

"Fucking answer me!" I growled. There was no reply, only barely audible static.

I tossed my head around in anger trying once more to free myself from the eye mask. "Come back here you coward!" When I got no response I hung my head in exhaustion. Alone again.

The sound of a keycode being entered into a lock chilled my blood and left me frozen. I hardly dared breathe as a bolt slid back and the door slowly opened. After stepping inside the person closed the door behind him.

Methodical footsteps made their way over to where I lay, slumped against the wall. The doctors silky voice slipped through my mind as he murmured, "Jeffrey, Jeffrey… Jeffrey." I didn't move a muscle as anticipation corsed through my veins hard and fast.

Cool hands touched my head then moved to the face mask. I heard the breath of a lock click, and the mask loosened yet the hands held it there still, almost as if the doctor could feel my eagerness and wanted to prolong the torment.

Chilled and cruel lips brushed my forehead without warning. What the- All thought vanished in a puff of smoke as the plastic was finally raised, allowing me to see the doctor at last.

The first thing I saw were the eyes. No longer cast into such shadow they glowed with a demented intensity that was strong enough to bruise and break any normal human. My eyes wandered to the multiple jagged scars littering his visage. The looked like an ameture had stitched them but somehow it didn't detract from his face. Thin lips curled in a dangerously playful smile, almost taunting me with it's twitches. Finally, golden blond hair fell in ragged waves over his forehead.

"Jeff," Liu said softly. "It's been too long." he looked me up and down and sneered. "I see karma has been a bitch as ever."

As my older brother stood before me I knew that I wasn't going to escape. I wasn't going to survive.

This was the end.

"Liu." I choked out. "What are you-"

"Doing here?" He completed my unfinished sentence with a delicate question mark.

Terror set in and I found myself paralyzed.

"Well Jeff, I suppose it's time for my evil villain's monologue." He turned as if addressing someone behind him. "I know it's cliched but bear with me."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Did you lose your mind Liu? We all knew you had voices in your head but I've never seen you answer them back."

He spins back to me with a lazy smile. "No Jeff, unlike you, I never lost my saity. Sit back and relax." He snicked in amusement as he regarded me. "Although, I suppose that's all you can do." He grabbed a chair that had been in the corner and sat in it backwards so that he could rest his head on the seat back. "It's a long tale so don't fall asleep on me Jeff.

"Remember how I tried to protect you Jeff? Remember how, when your 'friends' hurt you I protected you?"

Snarling under my breath I spat, "You didn't protect me, you tried to murder my family."

When he heard my words, Liu waved them away with the back of his hand. "They were weak and they deserved to die after what they said to you. But back to my story!" His eyes lit up and he leaned towards me. "I couldn't bear to think of you with those people so I decided that if I couldn't have you, no one would.

"Of course it's not easy to find you with how easy escape is so I knew that I couldn't possibly set a petty trap and hope you stumbled across it. I had to plan ahead!" Liu waved his hand around gesturing to the room we were in. "This became my perfect trap."

I looked around and couldn't help but be a smart ass about it. "Ah yes, because I would totally just wander into a padded cell! That makes so much sense."

The slap reminded me too much of running through the woods with Jane that first night. Sadly this one hurt more.

"Tsk tsk That was rude Jeff. My idea was quite a bit more sophisticated than that. Once I knew what my goal was, I started not killing. Instead I went back to school with forged papers and became a doctor." Another smirk. "It's amazing what people will believe when the records match.

"I started working here. My image was immaculate and I even got asked to do testing on convicts. You know how it works Jeff." Liu shrugged innocently. "No one cares enough about death row criminals and if they die then they die. I got to have so much fun with them but I never forgot you Jeff. I knew the day would come when I would finally be able to kill my little brother."

Snarling, I muttered. "I fucking hate you."

Tickled to death by my anger Liu threw his head back and laughed. "Oh Jeff, I've been waiting for this moment for so long!" He looked back at me and I could feel his eyes piercing me. "This time, I won't mess up or miss. This time I'm going to kill you slowly and cruelly." Getting to his feet Liu raised his arms to the ceiling in elation. "First I'll break you physically. I'll torture you until you don't have the strength to move." His words crashed into me, ripping through my flesh and leaving my nerves exposed. Moving to me swiftly, he bent down to my eye level and whisperd. "Then I'll go for your mind Jeff. You'd be amazed how many different test drugs I have at my fingertips. When I'm done with you, you won't have a shred of your sanity left. All you'll possess is the desire, the prayer, to die."

Knowing my brother like I did, I knew he wasn't exaggerating or lying. He was going to do more than kill me. At least that would leave my pride intact. No, he was going to destroy me so completely I would beg for him to just finish me.

Every molecule in my body rejected my future but it was inevitable. No one was coming to save me because Slenderman would never let any of the other pastas walk into such an obvious death trap.

"Maybe if you're lucky, I'll use your precious knife to kill you." Liu sounded delighted at the prospect. "Now Jeff, I think it's time for you to talk a little rest. Don't worry, I'll let Miz Ranson rouse you with food. If you don't have any pressing questions I really must be going."

Liu leaned over me once more and I felt the prick of a needle entering my neck. The world started going hazy but I refused to fight it.

Whether Liu knew it or not I was already broken.

What's the point of fighting if you're already gone?

Darkness overtook me.

 **A/N: Okay, I lied. I guess this is a bit of a cliffhanger y ending but hey, don't blame me! I was tired of waking Jeff up only to knock him out again...**

 **I won't even try to guess when the next chapter will come out but I can (mostly) guarantee that it wont be as long a wait as this last chapter.**

 **If you would be so kind as to leave a review, it would make my day but believe me, you silent viewers are just as special.** **:D bye!**


	7. Chapter 7ish

**A/N: So a little voice in my head that goes by the name of 'my violent sister' hit me over the head with the proverbial book and yelled, "WORK SLAVE!"**

 **Needless to say I was forced to pacify her with this measly half chapter.**

 **Enjoy the fruits of my suffering!**

"Don't go to sleep, you won't wake up." The words were a whisper as the knife fell, plunging into the middle age woman. Dying breaths soon faded and I was left with the same fierce euphoria that always engulfed me after a kill.

Soon however, it vanished, leaving only this awful feeling that I had been unable to shake all month. Part of my problem was that I still didn't have my knife. I held up the stolen kitchen knife and snorted in disgust. The fucking thing was already dull and I had just picked it up from two houses down. I was tempted to just leave it here but my second thoughts reminded me not to be an idiot. _Just throw the piece of shit in the river Jane._

Breaking into a run, I streaked down the stairs and back out into the night air. As I breathed in I felt something grab my heart and twist it painfully. This last month had been pure torment. Everyone at first had told me not to worry, he always came back but as weeks turned to a month the chances of him just showing up were slim.

 _Where are you Jeff?_ I wondered sadly. Having given up convincing myself I didn't miss him, I felt my depression deepen. I wished Jeff would just show up one night, waltzing through the door with a signature cackle and devilish grin hopefully holding my knife in his hand.

I was sick of stealing new knives every other day. It was practically impossible to kill someone with something new. God I wanted Jeff to get back.

Sure I really did want my knife back but it was honestly more than that. Over these weeks I had, and it hurt to admit it, developed feelings for him.

Shit. It still sounded weird.

Without Jeff here nothing was nearly as fun. Constantly bored out of my mind, I had tried to find other methods of entertainment but you could only play so many games with Sally and as for video games with Ben? Well, let's just say I wasn't going to win any achievements for my skill.

I raced back into the woods trying to escape the sadness. Sadly this only served to remind me of Jeff even more. Fucking hell, the bastard just would not leave me alone. Although it hadn't been particularly pleasant. I still treasured the memory of us traipsing through the woods, me, trying desperately to escape and Jeff, not even giving a shit.

Why is it every time I think about that night do I want to reach into the past and grab Jeff? Sure he might be a bit confused but at least he would definitely be alive. As I passed the sluggish little stream running through the woods I tossed the knife into its murky bottom. Sure the police would find it but hopefully all traces of me would be gone. I called out to the mansion and it grudgingly pulled me through to 'Slender's dimension'. Pain covered me but I ignored it in favor of another memory.

When Jeff had first vanished I hadn't missed him. It had been Hoodie, of all people, who had pointed out why I was so upset.

I had been waiting by the door as I so often did at a certain time of night. I sort of expected Jeff to just walk through the door, drenched in blood, with a ridiculous grin on his face. Of course he never did but something in me hadn't been able to just accept that and move on. Jeff _would_ come back and everything would be ok but one more night was passing and he still wasn't home.

"You miss him don't you." Hoodie had said quietly from behind me.

I had spun quickly almost dropping my mask from my fidgeting fingers. "N-no! Why would you think I would miss that bastard?"

His laugh had been so smug it had burned. "You wait for him every night Jane. If that doesn't indicate missing him I don't know what does."

I had looked down at my mask with a painful feeling of discomfort curling in my stomach. "I just- I want my knife back." I had offered in a weak attempt to explain away my behavior.

Laughter had tumbled from Hoodie. "Because _all_ people who want something back wait patiently for the thief to return. Jane, that was a weak ass excuse. Try again."

I had tried to find a logical explanation within myself to excuse my behavior but nothing was found. Whereas before I had hated Jeff, I was now okay with him and that made it a lot harder to deny missing him.

Gentle words had forced my thought to come to an abrupt halt. "Admit it Jane, you miss him." Hoodie had sat next to me and watched me.

"I-Yeah." Admission had been hard but the rest poured from me in a torrent of words. "I know I'm probably panicking over nothing but Jeff promised me he would be back in the morning. It's been two fucking weeks Hoodie! Why hasn't he returned?"

Hoodie had put his yellow clad head down and cogitated on how to phrase his answer in the kindest possible way. I had known at once he was about to bullshit me so I didn't even give him the chance.

"Don't feed me some shit about how it's probably nothing. Tell me why."

While looking up at me with that unnerving red stitched frown and those red X eyes, Hoodie had said flatly, "I won't lie Jane, he usually isn't gone this long but I also don't want you to panic. Sometimes Jeff just needs to clear his head and if that's the case he could be gone up till the end of next week."

A slight breath of relief had hissed through my teeth at the news.

Hoodie had cocked his head slightly. "I just realized something. You don't seem to hate Jeff anymore. What did I miss?"

Slowly a blush had made its way to my cheeks, causing my embarrassment to double. "Well, you see…" I had stared into the face of my mask as I had mumbled, "We sort of had a talk."

"Oh?" Barely contained mirth had only made my blush deepen. "Do tell!" Hoodie had chuckled. "Don't worry, you can tell me. I don't tell Masky everything."

I had shot a glare at him, choosing to ignore the fact that my face closely resembled a tomato. When I got no response I had sighed and returned my gaze to the floor. "Jeff knew that I was-" I had cleared my throat awkwardly.

"Trying to assassinate him in his sleep?" Hoodie had supplied.

"Uh… Yeah, he kind of brought me outside one night and told me about his brother." I had decided not to mention the other things he had said to me.

Hoodie of course had known at once that I was skipping over some stuff but he graciously allowed me to keep it to myself. "It was quite… terrible. I think that's why Masky hates you so much. He never quite got over Jeff's last mistake."

I had nodded.

"I remember what Jeff was like when he first got here." My ears perked up at once. "He's really changed since then." Hoodie noticed my interest and elaborated. "When Slenderman first picked him up he was a broken mess. Reality in shambles, rampant bloodlust, the works. After showing up here though he caved in on himself. Wouldn't talk to any of us for weeks! The first time I tried to talk to him, he lashed out at me with a knife."

I had snorted. "Sounds just like him. What changed?"

Hoodie had leaned back and let a deep breath out. "I'm pretty sure it was Ben and Sally who drew him out. Jeff and Ben really hit it off and then both of them protected Sally." Hoodie had barked out a laugh. "Not that he's ever been a good influence on either of them but…" He had trailed off softly.

"He said he cared about me." I had blurted out. "He said he loved me."

Hoodie had merely nodded knowingly. "Jeff's always been a very straight forward person. If he said he loved you I would take him at his word. The only question remaining is," He had looked at me and I had almost felt his gaze looking through to my very soul. "Do you return the feelings?"

I had nodded imperceptibly. "Yeah, I do."

I shook my head to clear it of the leftover memories. They only made Jeff's absence worse.

I started off to the house at a slower pace. There was really no need to rush because the chances Jeff was back were almost zero.

You could say that I had thrown everything in the air yelling 'I don't give a shit' but it was more like 'I've given too many fucks and I'm feeling rather empty right now'.

Smile ran up to greet me. I absentmindedly stroked his soft fur while walking along. Pangs of sympathy awoke within me at the sound of Smile's whimper. "I miss him too Smile." I whispered softly as I ruffled his blood soaked fur.

I wandered through the uniform forest, trying (and failing) to get Jeff off my mind. Honestly I was getting tired of worrying.

And yet, some little part of me hoped that Jeff would be there when I got back to the mansion. So back to the mansion I went just like every other night. The tree cover broke and revealed the old worn wood at last. I carefully walked up the steps that I had tread many times before, trying to walk them without a squeak.

As I walked in through the door I was greeted by Ben.

"Hey Jane, how's life?" He asked offhandedly.

I shrugged as I carefully removed my bloodstained mask. "Fine." Typical answer, it didn't mean anything to me but that was the point.

A queer look crossed Ben's face. "Oh, so you don't miss Jeff anymore?"

Fingers that clutched my mask tightened as I struggled to not fly off the hook at Ben. _Of course I still miss the bastard! Don't ask questions like that!_

Ben cleared his throat as if noticing how insensitive his question was. "Forget I asked that." His sudden tact surprised me. It had only taken him, what, forever to learn to read social cues? "I get it Jane, I wish he would get back too." Scuffing his feet on the ground, Ben refused to look up at me. "Everyone's been acting like he never existed. It really pisses me off."

A bitter laugh escapes my mouth. "Yeah, it sucks."

Ben brought his head up abruptly. "Do you wanna play video games with me?"

Thankful for the excuse to not feel depressed I scoffed. "You only want to play with me because I'm shit with video games."

He shrugged, a little smirk playing across his face. "There should be achievements for failing that hard. Even EJ is better at games and he's blind!"

I pushed him playfully as I walked to the stairs. "Then why don't you ask him to play with you."

"Because you seem to need something to pick you up." Ben sounded uncharacteristically sincere.

I looked down at my bloodstained high heels in silence. "Thanks Ben." I managed.

"Jeff isn't stupid enough to die, Jane." Ben whispered. "Trust everyone here."

I swallowed down my loneliness and just nodded. "If you say so."

Leaden feet carried me up the stairs and to my room where I promptly collapsed on my bed.

 _Come back soon Jeff._ My eyelids fluttered closed and I passed out.

I woke up an hour later only to stare at the ceiling. As always, I lay curled up on the edge of my bed. Generally speaking, this was out of necessity. Smile had taken up a semi-permanent residence on my bed.

I wasn't about to complain, I liked my head where it was. Careful to not roll of the edge of my bed, I sat up.

 _Dinner..._ My brain thought muzzily. Too lazy to find out when I should go down to eat, I curled up again.

 _Knock knock._

I checked to make sure I was presentable then called, "Come in."

The door swung open to reveal the last person I wanted to see. "Slender wanted me to call you to dinner." Masky said flatly.

I glared at him. "Yeah I'm coming." My mutter was sullen.

Masky made an annoyed sound. "You know Jane, you could at least try to act happy."

I growled at him. "You know Masky, you could at least try to not to be so fucking insensitive." It wasn't my best comeback but I was too tired to think of anything better to say.

Masky leaned on the doorway. "I'm not being insensitive, I'm being reasonable. We've given you a month, stop sulking. Besides, you weren't even in a relationship with Jeff in the first place. Last I checked you hated his guts."

I glared at him. "Clearly, you don't know anything." I turned away, a signal that I didn't want to talk about this with him. "I kind of changed my mind. Try to be a bit sympathetic."

"Well, it's not actually my fucking problem Jane and I would say I was sorry but it also happens to be not my fucking fault." Masky muttered before pushing off the wall and moving to leave. "I'm not in the mood for this shit. Come down for-"

I didn't let him finish. "Why are you all acting like nothing's wrong? Do any of you even care about Jeff?" I quickly shut my mouth as Masky stopped and turned stiffly to face me.

"We do care." His voice felt icey as he stared at me.

Despite Masky's foreboding aura I snorted in angry disbelief. "Bullshit." As Masky started to leave again I lashed out. "What if it was Hoodie who vanished without a trace?"

Masky froze and I knew immediately I had hit a tender spot. I allowed my smugness to show itself in the form of a smirk. "Yeah, I thought so. You would be just as panicked because you care about Hoodie even more than I care about Jeff." I said quietly. Of course I knew I was being cruel but I also knew I didn't give a shit.

"Shut the fuck up." Masky growled.

"No! If Hoodie was gone we would all be doing everything possible to find him. Jeff deserves the same treatment!" I insisted.

Apparently I had gone too far. "You. Don't. Know. _Shit_." Masky roared at me. "We're doing all we can." He spat the words at me.

Momentary shock derailed my train of thought but not for long. "Oh, if that's so, what _are_ you doing?"

Masky crossed his arms, uncrossed them, then at last muttered, "I'm not supposed to be telling you this but this past week and a half we've been taking turns looking for Jeff." He fixed me with a fierce look. "And Jane, the reason we haven't been acting like Jeff's gone is because this kind of thing has happened around here. Life doesn't stop moving just because someone vanishes or dies."

I nodded and at last decided to let the matter drop. It felt better knowing that someone was looking. "Who's out now?" I asked innocently with every intent to question them as soon as possible.

Masky snorted. "I guess I might as well tell you. It's Laughing Jack's night." He taped the nose of his mask. "Remember, you didn't hear it from me. Slenderman would have my head. He doesn't want you to go and do some halfcocked crazy ass thing and get yourself killed."

"As if!" I exclaimed indignantly.

"Yeah, you say that now but what's gonna happen when we find out he's locked up somewhere?"

I gave him a curious look. "We'll go get him, right?"

Masky, already out the door and in the hallway called back, "You wish." He vanished.

As I quietly slipped into the dining room I noted the forced cheer in the surrounding air. Quietly I took my place and started pushing my food around my plate. I didn't want to turn to my right because Jeff's empty seat stood there. Turning to the left wasn't a choice because Sally would know my mutinous thoughts the moment she met my gaze. I couldn't even look up because LJ's chair would be empty and I would know why.

In short down became my only logical choice.

"Jane, please don't play with your food. It is much more economical to eat it." Slenderman's gentle yet firm voice prompted my attention but nothing more.

Delicately I took a bite of the lasagna Slenderman had prepared. What should have been delicious tasted like wet paper in my miserable state. Resisting the overwhelming urge to gag, I swallowed my food and took another small bite.

"When's LJ getting back?" As Sally's sweet voice came from beside my elbow I at last looked up.

The rooms aura darkened considerably as all eyes flicked to me then back down at their plates. Except for Ben, who continued eating without pause.

Slenderman sighed through all three of his proxies at once. "Sometime tonight I expect."

Sally nodded, curls bouncing. "Who's next?"

Glares were immediately fixed on Sally who looked perplexed at the attention. "What?" She looked at me and, with a guilty look muttered, "Sorry."

From the other end of the table The Bloody Painter cleared his throat. "I believe it's my turn Sal." I almost asked, _your turn at what?_ But at a look from Masky I held my tongue.

A sick sort of silence fell over the table. Sticky breathing and uncomfortable coughs were the only noises to penetrate it. I held my breath, repeatedly sucking in lungfuls of air and letting them out slowly when the strain of holding them became too great. It served the dual purpose of calming me down and preventing me from eating.

At the point when the lack of sufficient oxygen to my brain became a serious problem and I felt like passing out, the front door opened. I came up out of my chair like a shot and raced to the door. I knew in the back of my mind I shouldn't but I had just afflicted myself with oxygen deprivation and wasn't thinking clearly.

 _Did LJ find Jeff?_ I couldn't help but wonder.

The sight of the monochrome clown was a welcome one for all of five seconds. The moment his eyes met mine pity filled them and he looked away with a mutter of, "Oh tootsie…"

I knew instantly something was wrong. "What is it?" I half yelled, grabbing onto one of LJ's arms and refusing to let go. "Tell me where he is!" Desperation clawed its way up my throat as I shook his arm. "Where?"

Slenderman snapped into existence behind me followed quickly by Masky and Hoodie. With gentle hands Hoodie pried me away from LJ muttering, "Jane, calm down."

"No!" I shook myself free from his grip. "He knows where Jeff is, he has to tell me!"

All three men behind me instantly focused their attention on LJ, who scratched the back of his neck and muttered, "Yeah, I found the bastard alright, in a cage."

"Explain." Slenderman said sharply.

LJ grimaced, "Turns out they caught him somewhere along the line. I've found substantial evidence that they've taken him to the Mad House." LJ said the words like they were poisonous. He fixed me with another condolatory look. "Like I said, sorry lollypop."

I shook my head. "What are you saying sorry for? Aren't we gonna go save him?" I flicked my pleading eyes from face to face.

Hoodie looked up at me and mumbled, "I'm sorry Jane but-"

"We aren't." Masky's voice cut through the air like a knife.

"He's your friend!" My tone had lost its feigned calm in exchange for a quickly rising panic. "You can't just leave him there, that's not what friends do! You're supposed to go and save Jeff!"

"Jeff is as good as dead!" Masky roared over my hysteria. "Nobody escapes the madhouse. We've lost people to it before." He looked away from me. "They never come back."

I turned frantically to LJ. "But he's still alive, right? We haven't lost if he's still living."

"Sorry sweets, Masky's right. Even if he is still breathing he won't be for much longer." LJ's eyes were clouded with sadness. "He's gone."

"And you aren't to go looking for him." Slenderman's voice was one of deadly calm. "If I find out that you have gone off to save Jeff, you will quickly find yourself one head short."

"But-" I started to protest.

"That is my final word." Slenderman put one of his hands on Hoodie's shoulder and the two of them vanished.

"I'm going to go eat dinner." LJ mumbled before also leaving the hall. I just stood there, swaying slightly, watched by a defeated looking Masky.

"I'm going anyway." I muttered, grabbing for the door handle.

"Stop it Jane, just fucking stop." Masky grabbed my shoulder and spun me around. At that proximity I could see his eyes. They looked more like black discs than anything.

"But- but-" I struggled weakly in Masky's hold while simultaneously holding back tears. "Let me go you bastard!" I cried furiously. "Just because none of you have the balls to do anything doesn't mean-"

"Shut the fuck up! We aren't doing anything because we _can't_!" Masky's voice hit me like a heavy boulder. I felt the tears at last splash over my cheeks and run down my face. With a rough shove Masky pushed me back. "The last time we tried to rescue someone from the madhouse, Toby was nearly killed. We're not going back there, _ever_!"

"Fine, I'll do it on my own!" I spat, removing my mask to partially wipe the tears from my eyes. "I don't need _you_."

Masky slapped me across the face. My dislocated mask flew from my hand and hit the wall. I stared at him, holding my smarting cheek in shock. From behind his mask his eyes blazed. "You can't do anything Jane! You would be on your own against people _we_ couldn't beat. I don't care how much you love Jeff or how strong you are, you wouldn't survive!"

And just like that the crushing weight of despair fell over me. The strength of it was such that I could scarcely breathe. Masky's words rang true. I _couldn't_ do anything. I didn't even have my knife, what did I think I could do, scratch them? My helplessness felt pathetic as it soaked through my bones. I sagged against the door and slumped to the ground, holding my head in my hands.

"I'm really sorry Jane, I wish we could do something but I know better than to hold onto stupid ideas." Masky bent to pick up my mask. After dusting it off he handed it back to me and disappeared into the dining room.

I covered my eyes and let out a dry sob.

 **A/N: And cut! Wow, that was the craziest half chapter ever. Looks like our little Jeff is on his own. SOMEBODY DIES!**

 **The second half of this chapter will be up by tomorrow.**


	8. Chapter 7, the rest of ish

A/N: What's this? The rest of the chapter?

'Madness'

I'm gonna put a small disclaimer here. Sally seriously breaks the fourth wall. Sorry if you don't like it, I just needed comic relief.

ENJOY!

My hand trembled as I reached for my door but I forced it to steady. Sally didn't need to see me in such a mess any more than was absolutely necessary. I had spent a good two hours at the front door just crying. Everyone had tried to comfort me but it was all in vain.

The weight of losing Jeff had been just too great. Perhaps it had been selfish, everyone else had, after all, lost Jeff as well. It wasn't just my pain but I had acted like it was anyway. God, I really could be a bitch.

At some point I had run out of tears to cry and had gone upstairs. I had finally pulled myself together again. Sure my breathing was still ragged and I felt like I had swallowed shattered glass but I wasn't crying anymore and I'd be damned if I broke down again.

I opened the creaky door to reveal Sally, sitting on the floor in her pajamas, legs crossed and looking at nothing. The moment I crossed the threshold of the door her head snapped up. As she stared at me with those big green eyes she sniffled. I noted the tear tracks on her face but said nothing. There was nothing left to say, nothing left to comfort her with that hadn't already failed at comforting me.

Still fighting to control my shaking I collapsed onto my bed and curled up facing her. She turned to face me and watched me closely. At first her attention unnerved me but soon I accepted that she wasn't going to look away and resolved to sleep anyway. Just as my eyes started to close Sally spoke.

"Jane, don't go to sleep." My eyes cracked open and I gazed blearily at the small girl before me. She had a beseeching look on her face as she whispered, "Jane, you have to do something about Jeff." Sally's words hardly stirred my mire of sadness.

"Like what? I can't _do_ anything." I muttered sourly struggling to ignore the prayer in her eyes. "I'm useless."

"No you're not, Masky's wrong." I close my eyes so I don't have to meet Sally's imploring gaze.

"I wish that was true sweetie, I wish it was." The weariness in my voice only served to remind me how weak I was. I couldn't even survive losing one person.

"Open your eyes Jane!" I did so, startled at the commanding inflections in her voice. "You're not weak, you're strong!" Sally moved from the floor to her bed, which she curled up on, still staring at me with an almost accusatory air. "It's up to you to save Jeff. You have to!" "Oh?" I tried not to let my misery show. "Why is that? Why should I do _anything_ for Jeff? What has he done to deserve me throwing my life away for his?"

Sally's sniffle instantly caused me to regret my words. "Jeff's like my brother Jane, I _need_ him! _We_ need him! He's so important to the people here."

I scoffed. "They sure abandoned him quickly enough."

"They're scared Jane, but you don't have the same reservations. That's why you need to do this! You need to save him."

I screwed my eyes shut tight against her words. How was I supposed to save anyone? I was useless! "I can't do it Sally!" I whisper brokenly, "I wish I could I really do but I _can't_."

"Yes you can!"

"No I can't." I opened my eyes and stared at the small girl. She struggled to sit up in bed and glanced down at her hand as if reading something.

"Oh Jane, be strong and have great-" She squinted at her palm. "Does that say corsage?" Sally let out a grunt of exasperation. "Fuck it, Jane you're going to save Jeff."

I stared open mouthed at the little eight year old unsure if I had heard her correctly. I guess it shouldn't have been as much of a surprise considering the company she had been keeping but it still shocked me. Once I had regained my voice I mumbled, "I've already told you Sal I-"

"With you shut up already?" Sally growled. "You're going to save Jeff because the fucking story line says to, alright?" She crossed her arms in defiance. "Everyone knows that you can't argue with the script."

My brain felt muzzy with confusion. _Script what script?_ "I don't know what you're talking about Sally. There's no script in real life." _If there was I would have read ahead and never fallen for Jeff._ That would have saved me all this heartache now.

Sally giggled innocently. "Script, who said anything about a script? I'm talking about what _every fucking heroin worth her shit would do in this situation!_ " her face was flushed with anger. "You're the fucking protagonist Jane, kindly start acting like it."

I could hardly put two words together. Amid all the depression I had a new emotion to cling to: Puzzlement. "Sally, are you okay? This isn't like you at all."

She sighed and looked at me with her huge bambie eyes. "Sorry, I blew up. Forget I said anything."

That was something I was more than happy to do. My life was crazy enough without any delusional eight year olds in it. I thought about what she had said and at last muttered, "Do you really think I could save Jeff?" Shit, I wanted to go but I was trying to act less impulsively and listen to reason. If Sally really thought I could save Jeff, maybe Masky had just been acting pessimistically.

Her head hit her pillow and she huffed. "I don't just think Jane, I know." With a fluttering sigh, eyes wavered closed.

I rolled over and over until my back was against the wall. "I would Sal," I whispered softly, "If only I believed I was strong enough." _Hell,_ I thought dismally. _Give me a good excuse and I'll go._ But there were no good excuses left. Masky had effectively destroyed any hope of going and returning alive.

If I couldn't even save him, what was the point in trying?

Squirming to get comfortable, I tried to drift off. Unfortunately there was a rather hard lump in my mattress. Feeling like this was one too many injustices I attempted to curl around it and failed. _How the hell does Smile sleep on this side of the bed._

I considered rolling over and sleeping in my usual indentation but sheer stubbornness kept me where I was. _All I want,_ I thought as angry tears leaked from the corners of my eyes, _is to go to sleep in this spot without moving. Why is that too much to ask?_

The lump hit a nerve in my spine that sent pain lancing through me. _Goddammit shit! Just leave me alone!_ Fed up with life in general I got out of bed. _Smile, if it turns out you put an arm bone under my mattress I am going to fucking kill you._

Roughly I shoved my hand underneath the mattress and almost instantly pain lanced through my fingers. With a stifled yelp I withdrew my hand to find the fingertips sliced open. Fresh blood oozed down them and dripped onto the floor at my knees.

Gingerly, careful not to get cut again, I slowly withdrew the offending object.

It was my fucking knife.

The blade gleamed in the scant moonlight trickling through the open window and it reflected the surprise in my eyes. Joy raced through me, Jeff hadn't taken my knife after all! As I examined it my attention was drawn to the handle. A folded sheet of paper was wrapped around the handle and held fast by a rubber band.

With heed to my cuts I removed the rubber band and unfolded the paper. It was a note written in sloppy and choppy handwriting. Moving to the window to get a better look at the contents I noted the signature and clutched the paper tighter. Resting it on the sill I read,

 _So, you finally found your knife. Took you long enough! It's been there since day one princess._

 _Hope you aren't too pissed at me for this little stunt (and everything else), I really think you'd make a great ally._

 _Or at the very least a human shield._

 _Just kidding, just kidding. I'm hoping by the time you find this knife you've gotten over your desire to murder me. If you haven't I might have to mess up that pretty face of yours._

 _Lots o' love Sunshine,_

 _Jeff the Killer_

The tears falling from my eyes blur my vision and drip onto the paper. I wanted to be furious with Jeff but all I could manage was a wet laugh. A human shield my ass, Jeff could beat anyone with one hand tied behind his back.

Except he hadn't the one time it mattered.

My mind went blank but for spots of red. At the realization controlled fury seeped through my body as I put the letter down and crawled back to my bed to retrieve my knife. Fingers no longer shaking I shrugged into my hoodie and opened my bedroom door.

He had failed but I would succeed.

I closed the door behind me and walked down the hall. For once the floorboards obeyed my wishes and remained silent. Down the stairs I went making, not a sound. At the ground landing I listened for any sounds of movement then stooped to pick up my mask and fitted it to my face.

If I went out during midday, I would need it.

With a gentle hand I pushed the front door open and shut it tight behind me. It wasn't like anyone was going to follow me. _Slenderman_ had forbidden it. _Slenderman and his rules can go rot in hell._ I thought viciously.

Taking the two steps to the edge of the porch I stood there for a moment, wondering if I would be able to go back to bed when the mess was all over.

"Hey Jane, thinking about going after him?" I spun like a top to find EJ, leaned casually against the side of the mansion. My heartbeat sped up, _is he going to tell Slender?_ I wondered.

"Calm your heart down, I can hear it." EJ complained. "I'm not gonna tell on you. Truth is, I want to be out there myself."

I couldn't help but note the sadness tinging his words. "What's stopping you?" I wondered aloud.

With a bitter sounding snort EJ gestured to his eyes, or rather, lack of them. "I'd be useless to him in this state." A sad laugh. "Not that I was _ever_ useful to him."

As the depression hung over us I was prompted to inquire, "What are you talking about?"

Slowly, EJ slumped to the boards beneath him. "Nothing much to say really, I just wasn't good enough for him." I waited patiently knowing the whole story was coming.

"You're lucky Jane. Jeff fell in love with _you_ first and you just happened to warm up to him. Me, I was crazy about him from the moment we first met." Leaning his head back against the siding EJ continued, "I couldn't get him out of my head. I wanted to help him, I wanted him to open up to me, and I wanted him to _need_ me."

My anger started to drain as I stared at the broken man before me. "There's nothing wrong with that."

"Maybe not but I think I went a little mad to be honest. I was devastated when it was Ben and Sally who drew him out of his shell. It felt like a slap in the face. I wanted to help him but for the longest time, he didn't even look at me. Everyone else was his best friend but I was just 'Oh hey, Jack, right?'."

Without making a sound I moved to Jack and sipped down the wall to sit beside him. "I'm so sorry." I muttered.

"You have nothing to say sorry for." EJ said matter-o'-factly. "It was just my stupidity. It only got worse when Liu showed up. I was green with envy. Jeff couldn't just make friends with me, _no,_ he had to find his long dead brother and cater to his every whim.

"I was the only one who didn't like Liu and it wasn't even for a good reason. I just wanted to _talk_ to Jeff but he was too busy chattering at his brother to care. In the end it was me who brought up the whole incest thing with Masky, I just didn't think he would tell Jeff." His remorse was evident in his tone as he gazed up at the flickering porch light.

"It's not your fault that Liu flipped." I whispered softly, almost begging him to stop blaming himself.

EJ snorted again. "That didn't make me any less glad when he left. Finally Jeff was alone and vulnerable. Like a bastard, I took advantage of his weakness. At last Jeff started talking to me! He told me everything about himself, about his family, about his thoughts, everything.

"I thought we might be getting closer than just friends. I deluded myself into thinking that Jeff was at last interested and asked him out. He turned me down and from then on has thought of me as creepy." His voice was edged in bitterness. "I genuinely hate myself."

"It's not your fault he didn't return your feelings." I said softly.

"But I should have known he wouldn't!" EJ spat. "Nobody has _ever_ cared! I'm just a mask. Take it off and what do you see, a creepy ass monster that is frankly, unlovable. I keep going after him, hoping something will change but it never will." He turned to 'look' at me and I could feel the sadness as he muttered, "And then you showed up and beat me at a game I've been playing for years."

"I'm sorry." I whimpered, half wishing I could feel guilty.

"Don't be." Jack got to his feet and helped me to mine. "Go help Jeff. He _needs_ you Jane, don't feel sorry for that.

"Come with me." I urged. "Come help!"

Jack laughed for real this time. "What do you expect me to do? Run into the wall? I'm blind Jane! I'm as good as useless in the Mad House, more a liability than an asset."

I wanted to argue but I saw the truth in his words. "Fine, I'll bring Jeff back for you then."

"Don't bring him back for me, bring him back for you. I know how much you care about him." EJ opened the front door and stepped inside. "Oh and do me a favor by _not_ getting yourself killed. I don't want to feel guilty for your death."

I flashed a grin behind my mask. "I can't promise I'll be in one piece but trust me," I turned to the forest and started away. "I'm coming back."

 **A/N: Methinks Jeff said the same thing and look how that turned out...**

 **Subtle** **foreshadowing is not subtle.**

 **I'll have the next chapter done by the end of the weekend!**


	9. Chapter 8

I didn't run through the woods, I stalked through them. Still reeling from all that Jack had told me I felt my fury build once more. Now I had another reason to slap Jeff once I found him.

If the other Pastas were being serious then I could ask the house to take me somewhere specific and it would listen. Figuring I had nothing left to lose I thought, _Alright house, I need to get to the Mad House and you're going to take me there. Isn't that nice._

I could feel the forest around me attempting to restrain me and keep me from leaving. Thick misty fingers wrapped around me and dragged at my clothes, begging me to stop and think twice. It might have had a good point but I wasn't in the mood for listening to reason. Drawing my knife I sliced viciously at the air around me. The mist recoiled and the suffocating heaviness receded as if I had wounded a living creature.

 _Now,_ I thought at the house mutinously, _you are going to take me to the Mad House before I kill something._

Immediately it rebelled thickening the air around me once more. I could feel the panic and fear swirling through the atmosphere as it fought me.

 _I'm not going to get myself killed._ I insisted mentally. _I'm just going to save Jeff._

The house didn't want me to go. It was nicer about it than Slenderman but it still infuriated me. I had to leave now! _If_ Jeff was still alive he didn't have the luxury to wait for this house to overcome its fears.

 _Jeff will die!_ I thought passionately. _Don't pull this shit with me right now._

With a reluctance I could practically taste, the house drew me from the bowels of its forest and spat me out in a thin decorative spread of trees. I could scarcely believe these stiff weeds counted as a forest at all.

Harsh sunlight fell upon my masked face, blinding me momentarily. Sounds of traffic and people felt harsh on my sensitive ears. As soon as my sight had returned to me I darted out of the minimal shade of the branches above me and into the shadow of a much larger object.

An imposing grey stone building, the structure I assumed to be the fabled Mad House loomed over me. I cast it a withering glare as if the building itself had wronged me. After scanning the grey exterior I spotted a door to the east and sprinted to it.

Most likely a staff entrance, the door didn't appear to be locked, probably because a good deal of the work day still remained. A single security camera above the door frame watched the entryway. Confident that my mask would hide my face I stalked over to the camera and thrust my knife through its lens. Not the neatest way to disable security but it worked well enough for my purposes.

I pulled the door open, thankful for the silence of its hinges.

I gave the room a quick once over. I guessed at its use as a break room judging by the old fridge and microwave. There were three armed men lounging at a foldout table off to the right of the door. The one facing the door glanced up and his face clouded with confusion which quickly melted into alarm. Before I could even move the man had drawn his weapon and his friends were hastening to do the same.

"Drop the weapon and put your hands up!" The man closest to me hollered. With the speed of a snake I lunged forward, knocking the gun from the guard's hand, coming up between his arms and stabbing his Adams apple in the same move. The other two men fired. Seeking to avoid the projectiles, I fell to the floor and rolled to my feet, ready to attack again. I set my eyes on the second man and took a flying leap at him. Panicked, he fired again. Unable to dodge I brought my knife up to block the incoming bullet.

The shock of impact rattled my teeth but otherwise it left me unharmed. I turned my knife and buried it in the skull of the man. He screamed only once before dropping to the floor with me still atop him.

Turning to the last guard I saw that he was no longer aiming at me, instead he had raced to the wall and pushed a large red button. Alarms flared to life at once, reverberating around my brain and bouncing off the walls. With an irritated growl I aimed my knife and threw it at the man. It buried itself deeply into the man's back. He went down with a wail, drowning out the alarm for a second before slumping to the ground dead.

 _Shit, I'm gonna have company soon._ I hastened the fallen corpse and retrieved my wonderful knife. No normal kitchen knife could fly that straight. _Thank god for Jeff's practical joke._

Turning to look down the only path out of the room I felt a sinking feeling in my gut. It was a long, white hallway with absolutely no cover if someone decided to shoot down it. Several yards away I saw a doorway. Throwing caution to the wind, I ran down the hallway, ducked into the doorway and prayed the door wasn't locked.

Thankfully my prayers were answered. I threw myself into the room and shut the door. Any second now armed guards would be flooding the hallway, looking for me. When that happened I would need a plan or the upper hand. Both were impossible in my current state. Frustrated with the entire situation, I turned to see where I had ended up.

Discarded junk and old doctor's implements filled the tiny storage room. While listening for approaching footsteps I gave the room a quick look over. Nothing jumped out at me, nothing but a black case in the center of the mess. Perhaps it just proved my madness but I could feel it calling to me, begging me to open it. Deciding I had nothing left to lose and everything to gain, I raced over to it and flipped the latches.

Jeff's knife lay inside.

Hardly believing my luck I drew it out, feeling power race through my arms but just holding it. Slightly heavier than my own knife, it gleamed chrome in the faint fluorescent lighting. Maybe it was just my imagination, but I could almost feel Jeff's insanity coursing through me.

Figuring I had a better chance if I made the first move, I flew from the room, praying I wouldn't get lost while looking for Jeff's room. The moment my figure left the door a shout echoed from up the hall. "Hey you, put your hand up! Stop where you are!"

A cackle of glee escaped me as I spun and ran towards the group of guards. In almost perfect harmony they fired their pistols. With catlike agility I dodged the spray of bullets. As I neared the first man I flicked my knife through his ribs, halving a lung and nicking his heart. With a hacking cough that brought up crimson, the man fell to his knees and started to drown in his own blood. I expected the other guards to cower but there was no emotion in their dark eyes as they calmly aimed their guns and fired again. I deflected two of the bullets with Jeff's knife and flited to the side to avoid the third. Treating Jeff's blade like an extension of my arm I tore through the arteries of another man's neck and sliced a third's hand clean off.

Screams of agony arose from the maimed man. I silenced him by braining him with the butt the knife. The last man didn't run, he simply fired his gun again. I brought the knives up in an X, blocking the bullet. With a lunge, I struck the man's knee with my blade, felling him but not killing him.

I ended his torture with a knife to the heart. I continued down the hall that at long last split into two diverging paths. I chose right and instantly ran into two fleeing females in white coats. They shrieked when they saw me and tried to outrun me. I overtook them and slashed my weapons to the sides, leaving them both with ruptured kidneys and fountaining blood that instantly drenched their coats.

Slitting their throats, I put them out of their misery, because I'm nice that way.

I came to another intersection and went left. I ran along that path for a while, past bars behind which sat gaunt individuals. They called out to me, moaning and rattling their doors, much like zombies. Shivers raced up and down my back as I prayed that Jeff was in a better state. If he wasn't there was no guarantee I'd be able to get him out of here.

A harried looking male doctor pushing a metal gurney on which was bound a screaming and struggling individual came down the hallway. Distorted words came from the restrained man's lips, things like, 'I'm not crazy' and 'no more injections' were discernible. My lip curled in disgust. I might not have much appreciation for humanity but this was deplorable.

Charging forward I vaulted over the gurney and stabbed the white coated bastard between the eyes. He keeled over, my added weight speeding his fall. Pushing myself to my feet I walked back over to the writhing captive.

He recoiled with fright as I grabbed for his bonds. "Stop fucking moving," I ordered shortly. "It isn't helping." He stilled enough for me to slash the bonds keeping him in place. After cutting the last one he sat up and rubbed his wrists, looking at me in fright.

"I would get out of here if I were you." I advised. "Better yet," I bent down and searched the dead man, coming up with a keyring, no doubt containing the master key. "Free some of these other people. As long as you don't get in my way or in the way of the people chasing me, you'll survive." It might not help the prisoners that much but it gave them more of a fighting chance than they had presently.

Franticly he nodded, took the keys and bolted. I didn't stay to watch, I was already gone. I ran through an intersection, not wanting to look at any more cages of 'humans'. Unfortunately I ran right into a blockade of armored muscle. Cursing, I sprinted back the way I had come, dodging a hail of bullets and barreled down the new hallway.

Hoping to outrun my pursuers I put on a burst of speed and took as many turns as possible. Soon I was not only hopelessly lost but at a dead end. Panic assaulted me from all sides but I forced it down. I was here and Jeff was somewhere in the building. Maybe I had taken a wrong turn or two but I was bound to find him eventually.

Doubling back, I took a different route hoping to find something useful but all I found was another emergency exit. I took a right, trying to make out the sounds of footsteps above the blaring alarms. My goal now was to find an unarmed and important looking person to force the location of Jeff's room out of. I took another right and at last found the very victim I was searching for.

I dashed down the hall to catch the unfortunate girl by the arm, spin her round and pin her to the wall by her collar. Struggling weakly she gasped for breath and tried to pry my fingers from her coat.

"Where is Jeff?" I yelled at her endeavoring to be heard over the alarms as I shook her like a rag doll. "Stop fighting and tell me!"

She stopped struggling instantly. "I-I don't-"

I could tell she was lying at once. "Just fucking tell me!"

"Three doors down, on the left." She squeaked, badly dyed blond hair falling in her ashen face.

I blinked, surprised at her cooperation. "What's your name?" I asked curiously.

"Ranson, Amy Ranson." She whispered fearfully.

"Thanks Amy." I dropped her and started back down the hallway.

"Wait!" I turned back around to see Amy struggle to her feet and chase after me. "There's a lock on the door. The password's 3501886." She unfastened something from her keychain and tossed in at me. I caught it without thinking. "That's the key to his face mask." She took a deep breath. "I know I work for him but I don't always agree with what the doctor does. I wouldn't lose any sleep if you got Jeff out of here."

At last I nodded. "I would run." I advised as I turned to walk down the hall once more. "With all the guys on my tail, there's a good chance you'll end up dead if you don't."

Her footsteps rapidly receded as she heeded my warning.

I sped up as I passed each door. _One, two, three!_ I looked for the keypad and typed the code Amy had given me into it, half expecting it to have been made up. Instead of more alarms the light flashed green. I slid the heavy bolt back from the door, pushed it open, hurried in and slammed the door. At once the noise of the sirens cut out to a faint buzz thanks to the soundproofing effect of padded walls. After taking a deep calming breath I turned around.

A hunched figure in a strait jacket lay against the far wall. _Jeff._ I hardly dared breathe as I walked forward towards him. Fear clutched at my heart as I realized that, despite my eventful entrance he wasn't moving, wasn't looking up at me. _Oh god, please don't be dead._ Falling to my knees before him, I dropped the knives and felt my worst fears crashing against my heart.

Without raising his head Jeff slurred, "You've already won, when are you going to kill me?" He sounded broken, no inflections in his voice, just flat resignation. "I lost myself weeks ago, I'm begging you, I don't care how painful it is, end this now."

My heart leapt to my throat as I choked on a sob. "Jeff," I whispered as I removed my mask, "Jeff it's me."

"Jane?" Sluggishly, as if every movement was an effort, Jeff raised his head. His eyes were covered by a white plastic mask that encircled his entire head. The parts of his face that weren't covered were littered in angry red lashes that looked like they had been left by a blade. His jaw had a bruise on one side that was an ugly shade of yellow and purple and a clot of blood at his hairline was still fresh. Parted open in an expression of hope, Jeff's mouth suddenly twisted into a grim line. "No, stop it. Stop lying to me! I can't stand these hallucinations anymore!" He tossed his head around, displaying more battered flesh.

"Jeff, stop." I squeaked through my tears, "Jeff you're not imagining things." It upset me so much to see the proud cocky Jeff the killer reduced to a beaten and bloody pulp that foamed at the mouth. I needed the old Jeff back so much it hurt.

He ignored my pleas, "Stop lying to me! Jane isn't here! She can't be here, she's just in my imagination."

Tears blurring my vision, I reached out and grabbed ahold of Jeff's tossing head, trying to hold it still. "Jeff, I'm real, please calm down." Fumbling with the key, I found the small keyhole and unlocked Jeff's face mask. Delicately, endeavoring to avoid any of the painful looking marks on Jeff's face, I pulled the mask off and tossed it aside, revealing his eyes. They were glazed with pain while adjusting to the light then he focused on me and his mouth fell open with wonder.

"You're finally real." He croaked. "I didn't think you'd come for me Princess."

I stared at Jeff, feeling as if my world had just fallen back into alignment. An abrupt and unexpected urge to slap him overcame me and my hand shot out before I could think twice about it. I slapped him across the face as tears leaked from my eyes and I cried in overwhelming anger, "Jeff, if you ever do that again, I will fucking kill you!"

Even though it sounded painful Jeff laughed. "I missed you too Jane."

I laughed wetly, _he nearly died and yet he still has the nerve-_ Throwing my arms around Jeff, I let loose a sob into his stiff strait jacket. "My god, you are such a smart ass. I thought you were fucking dead. Do you even understand what you've put me through?"

"I haven't exactly had an easy time of it either." His words reminded me of the state he was in and I leapt back in embarrassed guilt.

"What have they done to you?" I asked softly. "I didn't think they tortured people around here."

Laughter hissed through his teeth. "Torture is putting it mildly. Another day and I'd be dead." His expression softened. "I didn't think you'd actually come for me. After the proxies' little jaunt to this hellhole Slenderman made it clear that we weren't to go back."

Curiosity welled up at his comment but I quelled it. "Technically, Slenderman forbid me to save you but technically, I'm not a rule follower." I looked at my hands and mumbled, "And I couldn't just leave you here." I looked at him and realized he was still bound in a strait jacket. "I can free you…"

"What are you standing around for then?" Jeff asked incredulously. "If Liu finds us-"

"Wait what?" I stare at him opened mouthed. "Your _brother_ did this to you?" I hurried to fuss with the straps in an attempt to free him. "Fuck it." I muttered under my breath. "I'm just going to slice through this thing." I reached behind me, grabbed Jeff's knife and started to saw through the jacket. The material provided as much resistance as butter. "I can't believe he would do something like this."

"Yeah, he's not my favorite person in the world." Jeff muttered. "He's gonna be pissed when he finds out I'm gone." I finished slicing and dicing his restraints put the hilt of his knife in his hand and started to back off, expecting him to move but instead of getting to his feet he pulled me into a hug. "I swear Jane, the hardest part of this month has been missing you. If I'm not thinking about you I'm dreaming about you." His voice was hoarse as he held me flush against himself. "I know you're probably not going to like this Jane but I'm in love you."

I sucked in a breath at those words. More tears streamed down my face as I whispered, "I think I'm in love with you too."

He pulled back to stare at me in shock. "You don't hate me anymore?"

I shook my head mutely. In the back of my mind I knew I should hate him still. He killed my parents, ruined my life, and bested me when we had fought, acted like a bastard and left me when I needed him most but it honestly didn't matter anymore. Nothing mattered anymore but the fact that I had finally found my place: at Jeff's side.

"Don't forget your knife." I said with a grin. "I was planning on hiding it for a month but I'm nicer than _some_ people I know."

"It took you a whole fucking month to find your knife?" He asked with a laugh. "That's really, _really_ sad Jane."

"Hey," I threw my hands up. "In my defense Smile had been sleeping on it."

He grinned. "It was Ben's idea to hide it under your mattress. I just took him seriously."

Groaning I pushed him, not that it did anything considering he was against a wall. "You're terrible, why do I even talk to you?"

"Believe me sunshine, I'm asking myself the same question."

A sudden return of the alarms startled me and Jeff. Abruptly a hand grabbed me by the hair and pulled me up. Immediately I fought the vise like grip but all I did was send searing pain shooting through my scalp. Something sharp was pressed against my collar and I went still. It was a scalpel.

"Sorry to break up your little reunion." said the owner of the scalpel from behind me. "But to be honest Jeffrey, I think it's quite disgusting. I thought you had better sense than to fall in love." He tisked reproachfully, "Don't you know that forming such deep emotional ties weakens you?"

"Liu," Jeff growled. He held his knife behind his back and he was still on the floor but it was clear he was poised to strike. "Let Jane go."

"I don't think so." Liu hissed as the scalpel he held to my throat bit into my neck. "You see Jeff, you love her and I can't have you loving someone more than you love your own brother." His soft laugh was madder than any cackle I had heard from Jeff. "She just _has_ to go!"

"I won't let you hurt her like you did the rest of my family." Jeff rasped.

Cold mirth spilled from Liu. "Family Jeff? If I recalled correctly you _killed_ your family. I'm the only one who's left now. Why is this bitch more important to you than I am?" I stared at Jeff, silently begging him to do something. I was rather attached to my head and the separation would most definitely kill me.

"Because she cares about me!" Jeff shot at his brother. "Because I fucking love her Liu. Now, let her go!" He rose up from the floor and advanced on his taller brother.

"Fine fine, I'll _let her go_." Liu drew his knife back and for a glorious second I thought I was going to be fine. I started forward only to be caught by a sharp slicing pain.

A scream of agony tore through my lips as I fell, my shoulder was on fire and I couldn't breathe properly. I turned and saw that a messy line of blood ran from my sternum to the nape of my neck. It didn't just ooze blood, it gushed, pouring out and onto the padded floor beneath me. I felt myself fall but couldn't do more than twist to soften the impact. A thousand red hot needles were jammed into my skin and I moaned in anguish.

Through the pain and the ringing my ears I watched Jeff lunge at Liu with a cry of, "You bastard!"

Liu danced back, stepping on my hand in the process. I didn't even notice the discomfort; the agony of my shoulder was so great. "Oh Jeffrey, don't be ridiculous, she was going to die anyway!" He lunged at Jeff, driving him back.

"Every time something good happens you try to ruin it!" Jeff yelled in anguish. "This is my life, let me live it!"

Liu feinted and attacked again twirling his twin scalpels with a fluid grace I had never seen before. "Oh Jeff, you think you know what is best. _Clearly_ you do not know what is best."

"Shut the fuck up!" Jeff flew at his brother with reckless abandon, fighting like a wild animal. "I don't care what you think anymore, I'm done living in your shadow." His blade sparked and flashed as it connected with Liu's twin scalpels. Their movements were so fast they blurred.

"Of course you care Jeffrey, I'm your brother." Liu sounded as if he were having a casual conversation over coffee. Even as he drove Jeff to the brink he looked to be almost bored. "Don't you remember how many times I stood up for you? All those times I took the blame for you and ended up in trouble because of it. You really ought to be grateful."

"What do I have to be grateful for? You're trying to kill me!" I could hear the pain in Jeff's voice. Whether he would admit it or not, Jeff still loved his brother.

Liu sounded so rational as he replied, "I'm saving you Jeff." His blades spun and Jeff jerked back, a bloody gash on his arm. "Ever since you were little I've had your best interests at heart. Why are you fighting me?"

"Because you hurt my friends!" Jeff cried. "You just _killed_ Jane! She's the first good thing that's happened to me since you betrayed me!"

"Come now Jeff, she's not dead yet." Liu insisted as he circled Jeff, striking him at every opportunity. Jeff deflected his strikes but I could see his reflexes slowing down. His reserves of strength were almost completely spent a long time ago. Frankly, it was a miracle he was still standing.

"She's bleeding out on the floor Liu! How is that not _dead_?" Jeff howled in fury.

He had a point. My eyesight swam as I tried to stem the flow of blood coming from my shoulder but the attempts were futile. My arms felt more akin to lead than flesh as I scrabbled at my hoodie, trying to cover the wound.

If possible, Liu's attacks sped up. "If you want to be pessimistic then that's your prerogative. At this rate, she'll probably outlive you." It was a presumptuous statement to make but I could see the truth in it. Of the two Liu was older, stronger, faster and more ruthless than Jeff. Liu had probably consumed a full meal recently and Jeff looked more like a skeleton than a living human.

"You'd be surprised at how much better at this I've gotten brother, I wouldn't count your chickens before they hatch." Jeff said through gritted teeth. He flicked his gaze down to me and I could see the panic well up in his eyes. I wanted to tell him not to worry about me but to be honest, _I_ was worried about me.

Liu took advantage of Jeff's inattentiveness and embedded his scalpel in Jeff's shoulder. With a yell of pain Jeff leapt back into the corner of the room. Liu advanced on him with fluid movements and Jeff only just got away in time.

"You might want to just die peacefully with your girlfriend. It would be a lot less painful." Liu advised. "You aren't going to win."

"I would advise you to stop fighting and let us leave." Jeff growled. "I don't want to kill you Liu but I will if I have to."

"You always were all bark and no bite." Liu said with a laugh.

I felt like I was watching a horrible game of cat and mouse. It was painfully obvious that Liu was only toying with Jeff. His movements were lazy, almost as if he didn't care while Jeff seemed to be fighting for all he was worth. From the way the fight was going it was only a matter of time before Liu won but he was making sure to have plenty of fun with Jeff before at last devouring him. I was reminded of my own fight with Jeff and could suddenly understand why he had laughed so much. I must have looked utterly ridiculous.

Black spots danced before my eyes as I wished desperately I could at least try to help Jeff before my end. I noticed my knife above my head and tried to reach for it but it was like moving through molasses. My good arm was almost as useless as my bad one. The fingertips had gone numb and the joints wouldn't bend properly. I finally stretched it to its full length and found that I still couldn't even touch the hilt.

I just needed it an inch or two closer. The gap was utterly infuriating but I could do nothing about it so I turned my fractured attentions back to the desperate fight before me.

Liu circled Jeff, driving him over to where I was. Without intending to Jeff's foot hit my blade and sent it spinning towards me. With my last reserves of strength I reached out and grasped the handle.

"Give it up Jeff, this is the end. There isn't going to be another tomorrow for you." My characteristic rage that always seemed to boil near the surface of my skin flared up at Liu's words. I wasn't going to let a low down snake like Liu beat Jeff at his own game. I waited for Liu to draw closer to me.

As he took as step back that placed his feet right beside my ear I grunted, "You're right this is the end, but it's not going to be Jeff's." With every ounce of force I possessed I lifted my blade and slashed it through Liu's Achilles tendons.

He let out a cry of pain as he fell, incapacitated by the sudden agony. Lying there, with Jeff staring over him Liu had the nerve to laugh. "I didn't know my brother needed a dying girl to win his battles for him."

"Do I look like I give a fuck?" Jeff's knife fell and cut off his brother's laugh. Liu struggled for a second then lay still as his life left him.

Jeff didn't waste time staring at his dead brother, instead he fell to his knees beside me. "Jane, don't die on me. Please don't die on me."

My vision had nearly faded completely and I was losing feeling in most of my body due to blood loss. As I lay on the ground I could feel my life slipping away. _This is really the end for me. Shit._ Every fluttering beat of my heart brought me closer to death. I focused on Jeff as best as I could and muttered, "Thanks for everything Jeff, sorry I'm so fucking wimpy."

Jeff pressed his hand against my wound trying to staunch the flow of blood. "You aren't going to fucking die." His eyes were full of wild fear as he looked down at me. He knew as well as I did that I was about to kick the bucket but unlike me he didn't want accept it and move on. I kind of loved that about him. Weakly I reached for him and he grabbed my hand, holding tightly to my fingers as if trying to keep me from slipping away from him.

I wanted to believe I could survive but I knew better. As my head swam and I started shutting down I smiled and said, "I love you Jeff, forever." My grip loosened and my limp fingers fell from his.

I slipped off the edge of oblivion, falling, tumbling end over end into a darkness that never ended.

The last thing I heard was Jeff's distant and broken plea of, "No Jane, please-"

I was gone.

 **A/N: …I feel strangely empty… Jane just- Did she just…? I don't know anymore, JANE'S DEAD! What do I do? I never thought that far ahead…**

 **I'm not sure I can do this to Jeff...**


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N: Can I just say I broke down in tears at least five times while writing this last chapter.**

"No Jane, please don't leave me!" I choked on the words as her eyes rolled back into her head. I felt like I was underwater as time slowed to a tortuous crawl. Within me a pit started to open. It happened slowly at first, hardly there at all then it abruptly widened as the world fell away from under my knees. The sensation was so powerful I could barely draw breath and what air I did manage to suck into my lungs stung with the icy shards of loss. I had just watched the one person in the world I still loved die and I had been powerless to stop it.

Hot thick tears fell from my eyes as, with trembling fingers, I gathered Jane's limp form into my arms. Paying no mind to the blood still pouring from the ultimately fatal wound Liu had delivered her, I cradled Jane's still warm body against me and sobbed into her hair. With every beat of my heart I wished I could just bring her back somehow.

Thump.

 _Please Jane, come back._

Thump.

 _I'm sorry for not being strong enough to save you._

Thump.

 _I love you Jane, don't do this to me._

Thump.

 _Thump._

I froze, unsure if I was dreaming. After all, what but a wishful dream could have put a beat into Jane's still heart? Every shred of common sense told me to put Jane down and with her all foolish prayers that she was still alive but maybe Josh had right in believing that humans lived on hope. So, with every shred of hope I possessed, hardly daring to breathe, I placed an open palm against Jane's chest.

 _Thump._ Jane.

 _Thump._ Wasn't.

 _Thump._ Dead.

Tears, tears of joy and blessedly cool relief streamed down my cheeks as a choked laugh burst from my lipless mouth, Jane hadn't left me after all.

I should have known she'd be too fucking stubborn to die.

A chilling thought entered my mind as I realized she was still bleeding profusely. Unless I stopped her from bleeding out my happiness would be _very_ short lived. I needed to bind her neck in some way and for that I needed bandages, or some appropriate substitute and I knew where I could get just that.

As gently as possible I laid Jane down and turned to my brother's corpse. His long white lab coat would have to serve as makeshift bandages. After all, it wasn't as if he was going to use it again. It seemed more than a little fitting that in death Liu would help to save the very girl he had tried to kill.

As I tore long strips of cloth off with the help of my knife I made the mistake of looking at Liu's face. Even in death he was smiling, his eyes, still open, were full of laughter. It was a powerful reminder of when we were kids. When the biggest worry either of us had was getting good grades and not pissing off anyone bigger than us. Seeing him dead was almost like seeing the last of my childhood disappear forever. I half expected to feel loss at the death of my older brother but all I felt was a strange emptiness. After everything he had done to me, he was no brother of mine.

Loathe to wasting time, I turned back to Jane, makeshift bindings in hand. Carefully I looped the lengths of cloth over her injury and secured them under her arm. I repeated this procedure a few times until absolutely sure that it wasn't going to get any better and it could be a whole lot worse. Hastily, I grabbed our knives and regretfully stashed them in my hoodie. If I were going to carry Jane out of here I would need both hands free.

Paying special attention to her injuries I picked her up bridal style and cradled her against me. She was so light I could hardly believe I was carrying her at all. Maybe the reason she felt so light had something to do with the copious amounts of blood she had just lost or maybe I was just high on adrenaline. I got to my feet and looked dubiously at the door. It was true that I needed to get out of here and fast but on the other hand if there were people out there I was fucked. Running into trouble with Jane in such a delicate state was not an option.

I walked to the door, careful not to jostle Jane. As I looked into her pale face I could scarcely believe she had come for me at all.

While stuck here, my hopes of rescue had slowly dwindled. This past week I had finally given up on any hope of escaping from this prison. Decay had seeped into my bones and I would have lost my mind if it weren't for Jane. The memory of her had kept me company through the days of torture at my brother's hands.

And now she was here, in the flesh, dying because I hadn't been strong enough to protect her from my psychotic brother. Maybe he had been right after all, maybe I was weak.

I looked out of the door and down the hallway. Alarms blared around me but there didn't seem to be anyone here currently although I knew that small blessing could be snatched away from us at any second. At the end of the hallway sat an emergency exit and my ticket to freedom. At a clipped pace I started down the hallway praying all the way I wouldn't be found.

This entire situation had me feeling like a sitting duck. I was absolutely powerless to fight back if someone decided to kill us. To be perfectly honest, I had never been in this situation and I didn't like it whatsoever. Was this how my victims felt before I killed them?

About halfway to being free I picked up the unmistakable sound of many sets of pounding feet thundering above the alarm. Cold dread filled me as I franticly looked around for somewhere to hide but I came up empty handed. All the doors around me were shut tight with key coded doors barring any chance of ducking into one of them for cover. Helplessness settled over me like a suffocating blanket as I muttered under my breath, "Well, we're fucked."

The idea of putting up a fight flitted through my mind. If I was expecting the attack I would have a good chance. Add to that my skill with a knife and the fact I had Jane's blade in my possession as well as my own and it all totaled up to a pretty good chance of survival. I could get out of here with my life and probably a decent amount of revenge to boot.

Guiltily I looked down at Jane and realized I wouldn't be able to escape. I couldn't just leave her there and there was absolutely no way for me to fight while holding her. My unrealistic plan collapsed in pieces around me as my bleak prospects sucker punched me in the gut. I wasn't going to get out of this one. I had finally met my match and it wasn't even a worthy enemy. It was just straight up bad luck.

Heart heavy, I started my death march again. Even though I knew I was walking towards certain death I kept going forward. I'd be damned if I was going to be shot in the back, killed while running away. I wasn't that much of a coward.

Even now the distance to the door was thirty yards and falling, but I wasn't going to get there quick enough to outrun the people after Jane and myself. If I went across the intersection the guards coming up it would shoot first and ask questions later. There were probably a million ways I'd rather go down but I saw no alternative.

"You, Jeff!" I spun in surprise and almost dropped Jane. It was that girl, Amy, the one who had performed surgery on me and had been in charge of my medicinal intake. She had her head poked around a door and was gesturing to me wildly. At first I was sure she was about to scream for the guards but then I realized that she wouldn't be signaling for me to come closer. What's more she looked- Was that concern in her eyes?

"Get in here, they're coming this way! They'll kill you both." She insisted in a panicky tone. Briefly she glanced at Jane and shot me a look that reminded me of Sally when she was trying to get people take her seriously. "And I can help her too."

Regardless of the delivery, those words had the desired effect and made up my mind for me. Maybe she was lying, maybe she would kill us both, but if she could help Jane survive I needed to trust her. Besides, if I wanted to stay alive for any extended length of time, I didn't have much of a choice. I hurried over to her and she stepped back to admit me entrance then slammed the door behind me.

The noise of the alarms dulled to an annoying whine.

Meer seconds later the sounds of running footsteps and shouted voices came from outside the door. I had gotten out of the hall just in the nick of time, a second later and I'd have been dead, along with Jane. I looked back at the girl curiously, endeavoring not to sound too suspicious as I asked, "Why did you do that? Don't you work here?"

"Supposedly." She said bruskly as she locked the door and turned on the florescent lights, revealing a small operating room that looked to have been used recently. "Liu claimed that I'd worked here for years but thanks to a freak accident a year back, I lost all my memory." She turned and gave me a tight smile that betrayed her wariness of me. "Sorry, I'm sure you don't care about my past." I studied Amy closely and felt something tug at my memory. Sure there were some differences but I felt like I knew this girl…

"Do I know you?" I asked abruptly.

"I operated on you when you first got here." She said with slight confusion that she expertly masked by asking, "Now, are you going to let me look at your friend?"

Deciding that must be all this weird recognition of a girl I had only had brief encounters with over that past month was, I figured it was best to just do what Amy told me to do. I looked around the room, spied the operating table in the center of the room and gently laid Jane atop it. "Why are you helping me?" I queried, attempting to take my mind off of the grim circumstances at hand by critically studying Amy for a second. The moment I looked back at Jane all the terror of our position crashed into me with such force I was surprised my knees didn't buckle. "I can't remember doing anything to deserve any charity."

While hurrying to wash her hands and put gloves on Amy muttered, "I'm doing most of this for the girl; she didn't kill me when she totally could have. Not only do I feel like I've been in that position before, I feel like I owe her one." With a skillful scalpel she cut Jane's bindings and examined the bleeding wound. At the sight of her wound, Amy sucked in a breath through her teeth.

"Can you help her?" I asked, trying not to let the desperation creep into my voice at the sight of Amy's uncertainty.

Amy bit her lip. "She'll need stitches. I don't have enough time to follow the proper procedures but I can close up the gash and give her a much better chance at survival."

Survival sounded like an excellent idea. "Please." I whispered.

Amy nodded curtly. "Usually I have a team helping me with something like this but right now I don't have that luxury so, I'll need you to sponge the blood away so I can see what I'm doing." She flited around, gathering the tools she'd need. "I'm guessing that injury was Doctor Liu's work." She murmured more to herself than to me.

"Yeah," I said thickly. "It was."

Her face hardened as though remembering something unpleasant. "I don't care if he 'saved' me, I hate him and I'm sick of cleaning up after his 'experiments'." I felt sick to my stomach at the thought. At least I had the decency to kill a person after letting them experience a few minutes of sheer terror. Torture was a line I had never and would never cross. Sure I knew Pastas who were well versed in the art but even they seemed to draw the line at some point. Liu had been a cruel bastard for too long without paying the consequences.

And I had ended his reign of terror.

"He's dead, Liu." I tried to sound offhand when I said it because I wanted to study Amy closely to gauge her reaction to my words. It was the best indicator I could think of to judge what kind of a person she really was.

She looked up at me, shock in her big expressive eyes. I felt like I'd seen that expression before but there were more pressing matters to attend to so I pushed the thought aside. "Did you…?" She asked at last, shakily resuming her prep work.

I just nodded, not wanting to relive the events of the past hour anymore that I had to. There was already a good chance I would be seeing the scene in my dreams for years to come, if I lived that long of course. Amy didn't comment, instead she handed me a small white sponge. "Just clean the wound while I get the stitches. There's a basin of water beside her head."

I did as I was told in silence, carefully cleaning the oozing blood away from Jane's neck. Her skin was even more ashen than normal which I should have expected but even so, it worried me. Even with stiches, could she really survive?

"Don't worry," Amy murmured from beside me as she arranged her tools so they were in easy reach. "I know what I'm doing."

Deciding I honestly had no choice but to trust her I watched as she began to stitch Jane's neck closed. Everything within me wanted me to close my eyes so I wouldn't have to watch the proceedings and I would have except for one small niggling problem. I had no fucking eyelids. It wasn't often I regretted my decision to burn my eyelids off and this was definitely one of those times.

Amy worked more quickly than I had expected her too, within minutes she was halfway done and the water I was wetting the sponge in was almost as red as the blood still leaking from Jane. As I looked down at the sponge I doubted it would ever be white again.

"What's her name?" Amy asked while she worked.

"Jane." I whispered, my voice thin with worry.

"You two together or something?" Amy asked with the smallest touch of laughter in her voice.

"No!" I hurried to say then I started backtracking. "Well, you know, I guess it's kind of like-" My cheeks grew hot with confusion that I attempted to mask by asking, "You're sure she'll survive?"

"That depends." Amy admitted turning to grab another tool I'd never heard of before bending over Jane once more. "Once you get wherever you're going will you be able to get her immediate professional medical attention?"

"Depends on your definition of 'professional', we can't exactly go to a hospital." My mouth twisted into a rueful smile as I nervously watched Amy finish Jane's stitches.

"Obviously." Amy said, looking up at me and giving me a small soothing smile.

I nodded, thankful for her attempts to calm my nerves. "Thankfully not all of my," I fished for a word and at last settled on, "'friends' are completely incompetent. We do have-"

"Nurse Ann." Amy finished for me.

"Yes!" I said, shocked and more than a little suspicious. "How did you know that?"

Her face twisted into an expression of complete confusion. "I don't know. I didn't know that. I just-" She gave me a desperate look. "I'm sorry, I don't even know where that came from, I just knew." She shook her head as if to clear her mind and was instantly back to business. "Would you mind turning your back?"

"Why?" I asked, suspect heavy on my voice.

She let out an exasperated sigh. "Unless your 'well, you know' relationship with Jane is such that she wouldn't mind you seeing her without anything on up top, I would like you to turn around so I can undress her and bandage her properly."

Stiffly, still puzzling over her knowledge of Nurse Ann, I turned my back to her. It could have been coincidence but my instincts screamed otherwise. There was also the matter of me feeling like I knew her. If the person I was thinking of hadn't been pronounced dead, I would have immediately assumed it was her but it couldn't be so why bother torturing myself with the possibility. Liu had probably told her or something. I was freaking out over nothing.

"You can turn around again." I did so and found Amy stuffing Jane's limp arm into her hoodie. I hastened to help her with the task and, once we had succeeded, I lifted Jane into my arms once more. "That's the extent of what I can do." She said with another worried glance at Jane. I knew full well that her worry was mirrored and most likely amplified in my own expression. I looked down at the unconscious Jane and prayed it would be enough.

"Thanks Amy." I said at last. "I wouldn't know what to do if I lost Jane."

"Then do her a favor and get her out of here before someone finds you." She ordered.

I didn't need to be told twice. I walked to the door and waited for her to unlock and open it before stepping out into the hallway. The door shut behind me before I could say goodbye. Setting my sights on the emergency exit I took the last steps to freedom realizing that Amy had done more than just save my life and Jane's. She had saved our future.

As I pushed the door open, the fresh air hit me in the face and sent power surging through my veins that I had been without for too long. Everything seemed so much brighter than I remembered it. Even the smells of diesel and the sounds of the alarms blaring behind me didn't detract from the moment. The only thing that got me to start moving towards the forest was the slight weight of Jane's unconscious form in my arms. In spite of Amy's care, Jane's condition was far from stable. I wouldn't feel better until she was back at the mansion and in the care of Nurse Ann.

I searched around for the forest Jane must have taken to find me I almost laughed. She must have really begged the house to have it categorize _this_ as a patch of forest but I wasn't about to complain about the houses standards. The moment the scant shade of the foliage covered me I felt a greater urgency urge me on. As I moved swiftly between the trees I mentally called to the house. Almost at once I felt an excited pull calling me home. The house had most definitely missed me this time.

I was _that_ lovable.

Familiar darkness claimed Jane and I, swirling around us more gently than I was accustomed to leading me to believe the dimension was aware of Jane's delicate state, which also probably meant it usually gave everyone else a hard time just because it could. As I was spat out in the familiar dense fog of Slender's dimension I let loose an insane laugh. I was back home at last.

I ran to the house at a dead sprint, praying that everyone was awake enough to send for Nurse Ann. An excited bark to my left caused me only a second's pause. Smile dog ran abreast with me easily, exuberance in every paw step. Getting over my guilt of sending him away as soon as he had come by swearing to myself that I would spend a few quality hours with Smile after this was all over I said in an authoritative manner, "Go wake everyone up Smile. Jane's been seriously hurt."

Smile gave the dog's version of a nod and dashed away from me, careening towards the house. What felt like ages later but could only have been mere minutes, the mansion itself came into view. Pastas with various looks of shock and sleepiness were already crowding the porch as I reached the stairs. A clamor of voices rang out as I ascended the stairs.

"Shit Tootsie, I didn't think you'd make it!"

"I bet the Rake three cupcakes you'd die! Shame I already ate them."

"See Toby, I told you he'd make it."

"It's good to 'see' you alive."

"Jeff!" Sally broke through the crowd arms outstretched for a hug.

Regretfully I shook my head at Sally. Instead I found EJ among the group and called out to him. "Jack, I need you to get Nurse Anne. Jane's been badly injured."

As I looked at EJ I felt a spark of understanding pass between us. Old ghosts fled the air as, with a sigh that said, 'I can't believe you', Jack vaulted the porch railing and took off into the woods with a call of, "Be back with her soon."

Laughing Jack came to the front and swiftly snatched Jane away from me. I was about to protest when I caught the look in his eyes and stilled. "Don't worry," LJ insisted. "I got her. You should probably get some rest or something." I watched him disappear into the house with no small amount of relief. Safety was something I would never take for granted again.

That didn't mean I wasn't going to do stupid things, I was just taking a break for at _least_ a week.

"So, you gonna tell us what happened?" Masky asked in a tone slightly more surly than a grizzly bear.

"You'd better!" Ben announced as he shot me a glare that told me just how much the annoying elf had missed me. "I want the whole story."

"And I am sure you can continue pestering Jeffrey for the details later." The dark looming figure of Slenderman took up the entire doorway and then some. "But right now I want everyone back to bed. This house is run on a tight schedule and I will not have you all complaining that you did not get a good night's sleep tomorrow morning. You have seen that he is indeed alive, now, bed! Sally, you can stay in Clockwork's room tonight."

With many a moan and groan most everyone disappeared into the house leaving only myself, Hoodie, Masky and Slenderman. Hoodie and Masky held a brief conference before Masky too vanished into the depths of the house.

With a long sigh Slenderman said, "Jeffrey, Jeffrey, Jeffrey what _am_ I going to do with you." It might have been my imagination, but I think I saw Slenderman smile.

I strode out of my room, thankful for the fresh change of clothes and the shower. It had been a month since I'd had either and that probably wasn't a good thing. Honestly, I was surprised Jane didn't pass out from the stench.

The shower had given me a chance to really see how much damage Liu had caused me. I would probably have scars for the rest of my life, proof of the torture I had endured. Eventually they would fade but I doubted the mental scars ever would.

Much like a dog I shook my black mane of hair to dry it and walked down the hall to the staircase. It felt indescribably good to be back home.

Home, I had never really appreciated the word before. I had burned my first home and this place had always felt more like a convenience than anything else. Sure I had cared about the people here but now, standing here after everything I had endured, I knew I would never take this place for granted again.

My thoughts wandered once more to the girl currently upstairs in her bed, still unconscious. I meandered my way up the stairs as I thought about Jane and what she'd said to me back at the Mad House. _I love you Jeff, forever_. Had she really meant it or was it just a near death remark?

Shit, I wanted it to be true. Everything about the girl was a perfect complement to my own insanity. I wanted her so goddamn much it hurt but if she didn't feel the same- I shook my head again to clear away my treacherous thoughts. There would be time for them later.

As I slowly pushed open the door I was greeted by a very nervous looking LJ. He was bouncing on the balls of his feet like he couldn't stay still for even a second. Then moment I was inside the room he asked, "Holy circus Jeff, who the fuck did that to her?"

I turned to look at Jane who was carefully laid out on her bed. Despite the hell she'd been through she could not have looked more beautiful. I sighed and shook my head but spoke anyway. "Liu."

"That fucking bastard," LJ muttered as he sub-consciously rubbed the scar Liu had left him. "I'm going to fucking _kill-_ "

"He's already dead Jack, we killed him." I muttered wearily. The words seemed to get more tiring every time I said them.

The monochrome clown frowned at my exhaustion before muttering, "Served him right."

I nodded, walked over to Sally's bed and plopped down, letting my fatigue wash over me. LJ raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

Behind him the door opened again to admit Nurse Ann followed by a confused EJ. "So this is Jane!" Ann exclaimed past her face mask. She knelt next to Jane and pulled back the shoulder of Jane's dress. "Oh the poor thing, tell me what happened." She ordered.

As she examined Jane's shoulder and neck I haltingly told the entire story minus most of my conversation with Jane. Both Jack's listened with rapt attention till the very end, neither making a sound. Ann occasionally stopped me to ask questions but apart from that it was only my voice ringing in the small room.

When I at last finished LJ bit his lip before muttering, "God Jeff, you're really lucky. By rights you should be dead right now." He shuffled his feet for a few seconds then said softly, "I'm leaving. See you tomorrow Jeff." He walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

"He's right you know." EJ said distantly. "We all thought you were dead. When LJ told us you were in the Mad House we all just gave up on you." He turned his head in Jane's general direction and murmured, "She's the only one who was strong enough to go after you."

My throat closed up at EJ's words, "Yeah, she is pretty strong."

EJ and I stared at each other until Nurse Ann said, "I'm going to change Jane's bandages so both of you need to leave."

I stared at her a moment before jokingly asking, "If I were to ask _really_ nicely-"

"No." Ann said without cracking a smile.

EJ grabbed my arm and pulled me off of Sally's bed, "You heard the Nurse Jeff, let's go." I followed him with a laugh.

"So," EJ muttered once we were out in the hall. "Are you okay?"

To anyone else it might have seemed like a perfectly innocent question but coming from EJ it was a loaded one. I prepared to lie then I realized who I was talking to. EJ knew me better than I knew myself, I couldn't hide anything from him even if I wanted to.

"No." I muttered at last looking back towards the closed door of Sally's and Jane's room. "Not really. I won't be okay until Jane wakes up." I glanced at Jack, expecting to see his posture reflect hurt at my words but instead he just nodded slowly.

"Yeah, I get it." And somehow I knew he did. More than anyone else in this house he understood what it was like to need someone. Unlike me however, he also knew what it was like to never stop waiting.

"I'm sorry Jack," I muttered at last. "About everything." I knew it was wrong but I felt pity welling up for the man before me.

"Don't be." EJ muttered softly. "You love her. Don't be sorry about something like that. I'm happy for you, really, I am." But his voice wasn't glad; it was full of a deep sadness that I could never understand and hoped never to experience. I tried to think of a way that everything could have turned out better but in the end I realized, I didn't want anything to change. It might mean losing what I had now.

Nurse Anne poked her head around Sally's door and said, "You two can come back in now."

I turned to EJ. He just nodded. "I'm gonna go to bed. See you in the morning." He walked past me and was gone. I waited for him to look back but he didn't, not even once. In the end, I think it was better that way.

Slowly I walked back into the room and sat down on Sally's bed. It creaked pleasantly beneath my weight. "How is she?" I asked at once.

"She'll live." Ann said shortly as she sat down at the foot of Jane's bed. "But she'll be on bed rest for a good while and I'll be staying to watch her for a week." She gave me a critical glance before asking, "Who stitched her up. You never gave me a name."

"Amy." I muttered softly, "Why do you want to know?"

Ann turned to look Jane over once more. "She saved Jane's life and she did it well." I could see the smile in her eyes as she said, "I would love to meet someone this skilled, she could probably teach me a thing or two."

I felt puzzlement well up once more as I remembered Amy. "I have the distinct feeling you already have."

"Oh?" Nurse Ann asked curiously clearly intrigued by my words.

"Just a hunch." I said as I stared at Jane with love in my eyes.

Ann caught the look in my eyes and got to her feet. "I may as well turn in for the night. Zero said she'd get my bed ready for me." Silently she left the room, leaving the sleeping Jane and me alone.

Not daring to breathe for fear I would be too loud and wake her, I walked over to Jane and stared down at her. The color in her white cheeks had improved somewhat and she didn't appear to be in pain although I knew that after the pain meds Ann had given her wore off it would be hell.

Standing over her like this reminded me of my first time meeting her after burning her with my house. Her hair was mussed around her face in a soft cloud and her hand twitched as if caught in a dream. In this light she looked like a gothic angel, so perfect, I could hardly believe she was real.

The door behind me swung open and I spun to face it, as jumpy as a rabbit. There stood Slenderman and Hoodie. Hoodie gestured for me to step out into the hallway. I was sorely tempted to refuse but Slenderman's presence was a very big motivator.

Grudgingly I followed them into the hallway, half dreading what came next. Whatever it was couldn't possibly be good, this was after all Slenderman. He didn't usually come in person to bear good news.

"Jeffrey." Slenderman said in a bemused tone. "You seem to have done the impossible."

I gave him a cocky grin despite the nerves clawing up my throat. "I seem to do that a lot."

Slenderman merely sighed. "I suppose you were right when you said this would turn out okay. Jane certainly is something." His tone suggested a deeper meaning but I elected to ignore it.

"She definitely is that." I said softly.

"And yet, I am considering throwing her out." I blanched at Slenderman's words. He didn't notice with practiced avoidance.

"Why the fuck would you do that?" I asked hoarsely. "She fucking saved my ass!"

"Jeffrey, language, I only said I was thinking about it. She did after all break the rules." Slenderman said reasonably. I honestly didn't care about reason. The thought of Jane leaving made my blood run cold.

With a low growl I drew my knife and held it at the ready. "Damn your rules, she had enough courage to come save me and you shouldn't throw her out for something like that."

Hoodie moved in my path as though to block me but Slender gently pushed him aside with one long white hand. I could feel the cool air around me heating up as Slenderman said, "Jeffrey, I would think very carefully about your next actions. My original plan was to kill her if she went against my decree. This is lenient by comparison. I would let her stay until she has fully recovered." Slenderman's tentacles waved in the air around him, adding to his air of menace.

"If she leaves, I leave." I said coldly, unafraid of Slenderman. I had beaten him once before and I would do it again if the need arose. Static filled my brain as Slenderman's aura seemed to grow and fill the entire hallway.

The tension continued to grow until a weak cough came from Jane's room and the bubble burst. Slowly I lowered my knife and Slenderman's static faded. We were silent for a moment more. "You should not be so worried Jeffrey," Slenderman at last said with the smallest of chuckles. "Jane the killer has grown on me."

Relief flooded my body and I stowed my knife much to Hoodie's apparent relief. "So you're going to let her stay?"

"I do believe I will." Slenderman said kindly, seeming in that moment more like a father than a monster. "Goodnight Jeffrey." He lightly placed his hand on Hoodie's shoulder and vanished.

I stood there for a few seconds before hurrying back into Jane's room. I stood next to her bed once more and smiled at her. She'd done more than grow on me. As if she could sense my presence Jane groaned and her eyelids fluttered open. She blinked a few times before focusing on me and smiling. "I didn't know serial killers went to heaven." She mumbled past her sleepiness.

Taken aback momentarily by the oddity of her statement, I asked, "What makes you say that?"

"Well, you're here." She muttered, turning a splendid shade of red.

I grinned wider than usual and said with a laugh, "Trust me Princess, if that's what you're basing your assumption of our location then I'm telling you, we're in hell. There's no way I'm going to heaven."

"Well I think I'm enjoying hell so far then." Jane said with a soft and slightly dopy smile.

I stared down at the beautiful, sassy sarcastic Jane the killer and at last asked, "Did you mean it when you said you loved me?"

"Duh, you idiot," Jane grumbled, "Do you need me to say it again?"

I knelt down and smoothed the hair away from her face. "I wouldn't bitch about it."

She muttered something that sounded vaguely sarcastic before mumbling, "I love you Jeff. Now," She fixed me with a fierce glare. "Are you gonna kiss me or not?"

I laughed, "Well, since you asked so nicely-" I bent over her and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. She let out a breath and melted beneath me. After what felt like an eternity I drew back, ignoring her protesting moan as I got to my feet. "You should probably go to sleep." I advised with a smirk as I switched out the lights.

I opened the door to leave when Jane called, "No, stay with me!"

Briefly I was taken aback but I recovered quickly. "Sweetheart, I haven't had a good night's sleep in going on two months. Where would I stay in here, on Sally's bed?"

"There's room on mine you know." She grumbled.

I grinned in the darkness. "Is that an invitation Jane the killer?"

"Is that supposed to be sarcasm Jeff the killer?" I heard her bed squeak, "Please, I don't want you to leave. Ever."

I could sympathize with her there. Quietly, hoping that Ann kept her mouth shut in the morning I climbed into bed with Jane and wrapped my arms around her. "Better now Princess?"

"Shut up and go to sleep."

I didn't need to be told twice. With Jane in my arms and her sweet smelling hair in my nose I fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.

 **A/N: *single tear***


	11. Epilogue?

**A/N:** **What is this? An epilogue?**

 _ **But Q,**_ **you gasp** _ **the story's over!**_ **Well dear readers, I'm slightly drunk off of sleep deprivation hence I'm talking to you and writing this… Epilogue, if you will. I must warn you, this isn't going to tell you much about Jeff and Jane's story; rather, it will give you a peek into the mind of another, almost equally important character.**

 **I give you: Amy, written in the second person perspective. (For reasons)**

 **Enjoy…**

" _Who are you?" You croak out._

 _The man's smile is long and cruel. "I am Doctor Liu my dear. Don't you remember me?"_

No, _you think in resigned despondence_. I don't remember anything.

" _Don't trouble yourself. Your memories might never come back after brain trauma that extensive." His soothing whisper relaxes you._

" _Who am I then?" You ask without any real interest._

" _Your name is Amy. Amy Ranson." Liu says brightly._

 _That actually sparks your interest._ Amy… _you aren't sure if the name fits but, because you don't have anything better to go on, you run with it. "My name is Amy."_

" _Good." Liu nods encouragingly. "You were my assistant before your… Accident." His scared face takes on a pained look._

 _Assistant… Accident…_

The silky tendrils of sleep release you from the dream and into the reality of your warm room and soft bed. You flip over restlessly trying to shake the old memory from you mind. Up until the serial killer known in the media as Jeff the killer and to the Institution's computer system as patient #66, you had been reasonably sure of who you were. After the 'tragic' death of doctor Liu that was given coverage then covered up, you find yourself questioning the story Liu had told you about your past. Yesterday you had reached an all-time low in questioning the validity of your own _name._

Not that you had possessed much time to contemplate it. Without you being any the wiser, Liu had made sure that, in the event something happened to him, all the internal workings of the Institution fell to you. On top of that stress, you were dealing with all the investigation of what went on inside the building itself. Exposing the horrors that went on inside its grey walls had become one of your biggest priorities, second only to turning the whole operation into a humane organization. You were not only fighting against the authorities that were trying to shut the place down but the scientists working inside the Institution who were bent on it staying the same. It was enough to give anyone a headache.

Especially if that someone was also struggling with an identity crisis. Sure, Liu had said your memories might never return but somehow you are now feeling like everything since that accident a year ago has been a carefully constructed lie. Who was going to prove that you had actually worked in the Institution for any length of time before your accident? Only Liu's most trusted coworkers were adamant about backing up his story and computer files could be forged. You had even been moved to a new flat after the accident, supposedly to prevent any bad memories from resurfacing but it could have been because there _hadn't been_ a first place.

You press your face into your down pillow and scream silently into its cotton coverslip. This past week has been enough to drive you mad. At last you force your mind to the less stressful topic of the escaped serial killer and his killer girlfriend. Oddly enough, this musing serves to calm you down. You can't help but hope that both Jeff and Jane survived the ordeal.

An odd series of creaks coming from somewhere in your house, stimulates your mind with something like fear but more akin to adrenaline. The odd rushing feeling slowly dissipates and you convince yourself it must have been something outside. Maybe a raccoon or something… Besides, Liu had insisted on a security system in your house. You might not agree with Liu on much of anything but it's moments like this that you're thankful for his ideas.

A crash coming from down the hall brings you up in a flash. That wasn't a raccoon… As you hurry to get out of bed you subconsciously search the room for a weapon. For a moment your eyes fall on a large book about different psychological disorders then you snap to the present and laugh derisively at yourself. Why would something stupid like that even occur to you? Pulling the drawer of your bedside table open, your slender fingers wrap around the cold black grip of your Glock.

Another thing that Liu had insisted you have was a carry and conceal permit. After all, it paid to be prepared. Checking quickly that it's loaded, you flick the safety off and, making as little noise as possible, move into you dining room. Dimly you register a vase of what looked like flowers and a note on the table before moving towards where you heard the telltale crash of glass come from.

Briefly you take in the fallen painting and its, now shattered, glass cover before training your gun on the intruder. You take in his appearance over the gun's small plastic sights. Old blue jeans and striped hoodie gives way to large orange aviator goggles and a striped scarf that covers his mouth. Curly brown hair sticks out from under his hood and two large bloodstained hatchets hang from his belt. He hasn't as of yet, attempted to draw them but you don't believe for a second that makes the man any less dangerous.

Attempting to hide the fear in your voice you roughly ask, "What the hell are you doing in my house?" You're disappointed to note the shakiness in your voice yet proud that your gun keeps steady.

"Relax," The man says, lazily raising his hands in the air as if in surrender. "I'm just here to deliver a message." Slowly he closes the gap between himself and the barrel of your gun, no fear in his movements.

You find it hard to believe that this stranger broke into your house just to tell you something but you keep your opinions to yourself. "I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave immediately. I'm not in the habit of accepting visitors at two A.M. and if you don't leave at once, I'm calling the police."

"Geese, I didn't think you'd be this uptight. You didn't go calling security on Jeff, did you?" At the mention of the killer whose girlfriend you had saved, you find yourself lowering the gun slightly. He nods encouragingly. "See, I'm not gonna kill you. In fact, I was just about to leave. The message is on your table."

You bite your lip and at last, against your better judgement, lower your Glock. "Thanks." You mutter tersely.

"No problem." He says easily. "Sorry about the picture by the way. I touched it and _crash_." Making hand motions to illustrate his point he laughs awkwardly and watches you. Suddenly you feel his gaze intensify and he moves to grab your arm so swiftly, you don't have time or the presence of mind to raise your gun again. You feel him twitch as he studies you intently.

"[Name]?" His voice has a desperate edge to it that surprises and scares you.

"W-what?" You stutter in confusion. "My n-name is Amy." It comes out in a whimper as his grip on your upper arm tightens to the point of causing physical pain.

He stares into your eyes and at this distance you can just make out his eyes. They're searching you with a feverish intensity that raises the hair on the back of your neck. After a moment more he shakes his head and releases you quickly. "Sorry." He mumbles, "It's just, for a second I thought… Never mind, she's dead."

You feel the overwhelming desire to ask what he means; after all, Jeff had also had a reaction to you. Perhaps it hadn't been even half as violent but it had definitely been there however, something holds you back. In the end, do you honestly want to know?

"I'm leaving." Toby says at last. With one last twitchy glance at you, he climbs back over your large red armchair and out the open window, leaving you with a pile of broken glass, an open window, and more questions than you know what to do with. Jerkily, fingers numb, you walk to the window and snap it closed wondering briefly why the alarms hadn't been triggered. Seeing the gun still held loosely in one hand, your mind falls back to reality and you remember the reason that stranger had originally given for his impromptu visit.

Careful to avoid the broken glass, you move back to the dining room table to examine what he had left behind. The most prominent piece is the vase filled with a dozen black roses. A casual sniff reveals the coppery scent of blood, a smell that should be repulsive but, when laced with the natural rosy perfume of the flowers doesn't actually smell too bad. Setting the Glock down at last, your fingers ghost over the other object on the table -a black envelope detailed with swirling gold- before tentatively picking it up and carefully opening it.

Delicately you unfold the letter and sit down to read its contents. The words are written in a careful print that reminds you of a small child's writing. The words erased and rewritten in a different hand add to the impression. With a slight smile you can't explain you start to read after noting the date which places the note's origin at about a week ago.

Dear Amy,

Jeff: Thank you for saving Jane's life. Other than straining her stitches by trying to hit me, she's doing fine.

Jane: Shut up! Sorry for pinning you to a wall Amy, I was just a little bit crazy looking for Jeff and all.

Jeff: You see this middle finger Jane, it's just for you.

Jane: Aww you're saying I'm number one in your heart. Anyways, great job on the stitches, you really did save my life.

Jeff: And my life. You saved that too! Sorry if you're upset about me murdering your boss. He was being a dick…

Jane: He really was. Also shut the fuck up Jeff, this is my letter. Guess what? Jeff and I are dating now! How long do you think it's going to take me to regret my decision?

Jeff: Fuck off Princess, you know you love me and it's my letter too. I hope we didn't leave you too big of a mess to clean up back there. Most of it was Jane's fault anyway.

Jane: Excuse me? I was perfectly within my rights murdering all those guards after what they did.

Jeff: Hey, I'm not upset! I'm just making sure that Amy knows whose fault the catastrophe was. I really hope you aren't in too much shit after everything though.

Jane: Yeah, you don't deserve that so sorry if we left a lot on your plate.

Jeff: It's thanks to you both of us survived. If we had died, I wouldn't be fu- I mean, dating Jane. OW!

Jane: There's more where that came from you bastard. If you don't shut up I'm not going to ask Nurse Ann to let you down.

Jeff: Ooh, I'm so scared Sunshine. But enough of us arguing, thanks for everything Amy.

Jane: Yeah, we promise that none of us will ever kill you. We can guarantee that, right?

Jeff: Yeah, totally.

Sincerely,

Jane and Jeff the killers.

Faithfully transcribed by: Sally

Corrected by: Zero

P.S. I wrote this because Jane's arm hurt too much and Jeff's hanging from the ceiling by his ankles for sleeping with Jane before she was healed.

P.P.S. Thank you for saving my (almost) big brother and his girlfriend.

P.P.P.S. I hope Toby doesn't scare you too much when he delivers this letter.

Your previous fear at your uninvited visitor vanishes as the words of the letter wash over you. Even though you're sure you don't know these people, there's some level of comfort you feel from reading the words they wrote. If you hadn't known better, you would have thought you had just received a letter from home.

The one thing that drags at your interest is the last P.S. because of the name contained within it. Uncalled, a memory surfaces in your mind in regards to the person who had just broken into your house whose name was apparently Toby.

" _Who is Toby?" You ask at last._

 _Liu's face darkens. "I'm not sure you want to know. He wasn't… nice to you."_

But you don't feel any sort of hatred towards the person who had just forced entry into your house despite Liu's words. If anything you're filled with a strange yearning that aches to see Toby again. The earlier apprehension at knowing your past is replaced by a single wish to know the past.

Another memory counters your desires at once. Your strained voice ripples through your mind as your soft question passes through your inner hearing.

 _Staring straight ahead you can't help but ask, "What if I want to remember?"_

 _Liu looks straight at you and you feel like his gaze is going right through you. "Wanting to remember and needing to remember are two different things. Maybe you do want to remember but ask yourself this: Will recalling your old life help you, or only hurt?"_

Shaking your head you drop the letter, pick up your Glock and walk back to bed, flipping the safety on the handgun on as you go. Perhaps Liu was right about some things. You have the distinct feeling that the past should stay where it is.

 _[Name]…_ You roll it around in your brain before realizing that it does indeed fit you better than Amy. Maybe you'll just keep it…

 **A/N: Taking a note out of Mundie's book, THERE, HAPPY INTERNET? Oh well, that was fun. If this chapter left you confused, go and read Saved by Murder and (some of) it will make sense. More will make sense after Killjoy is finished, I promise.**

 **Shameless self-promotion is shameless.**

 **I'm actually done this time, I promise.**


End file.
